Reps to hold elections for lobby in six months

What you need to know:

  • There has been intense lobbying by some MCAs for a change of guard at the helm of the forum. They accuse officials of fighting for the speakers’ rights rather than of the majority reps.
  • Some ward leaders walked out of the last December meeting at the Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi. It had been called to adopt a common position on the Pesa Mashinani referendum push by governors.
  • The County Assemblies Forum is currently chaired by Tana River Speaker Abdi Nuh, his Nakuru counterpart Susan Kihika is the deputy and the Elgeyo-Marakwet Speaker, Mr Kochai is the Secretary-General.

Members of the County Assemblies will have to wait until June for elections of new forum officials, the governing council has said.

After a previous meeting aborted last December, reps had demanded the County Assemblies Forum that consists two ward reps and all speakers, hold polls in the same month.

There has been intense lobbying by some MCAs for a change of guard at the helm of the forum. They accuse officials of fighting for the speakers’ rights rather than of the majority reps.

The council’s Secretary-General, Mr Albert Kochai said yesterday the June date was arrived at after a series of meetings.

The meetings, Mr Kochai said, are aimed at averting a possible fallout. Last year, members disrupted a meeting in Nairobi after reps’ complained of poor representation.

Some ward leaders walked out of the last December meeting at the Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi. It had been called to adopt a common position on the Pesa Mashinani referendum push by governors.

OWN AGENDA

Consequently, ward reps vowed to form a parallel body to drive their own agenda.

Speaking separately, however, Kisumu Leader of Majority Samwel Ong’ow said the June date can be changed by the members.

Uasin Gishu Leader of Majority Josphat Lowoi has been proposed as the interim chairman.

“We want to remove officials who are not representing us as they should. Let the speakers have their own forum and MCAs theirs,” Mr Lowoi said during a live TV interview after the botched meeting.

However, Mr Kochai said by phone the MCAs have decided to go slow on their quest for a new forum.

“We shall wait until June when the elections would be held,” Mr Kochai said by phone.

“There is no cause for alarm. We are going to sort these issues amicably,” the secretary-general said.

However, Mr Ong’ow, who supports plans for a new forum, says the push to form a new forum is on course.

“There is no law that says we should hold polls in June. If a majority of us decide we need to hold elections today to remove our officials, we will go ahead,” Mr Ong’ow said in Kisumu.

The County Assemblies Forum is currently chaired by Tana River Speaker Abdi Nuh, his Nakuru counterpart Susan Kihika is the deputy and the Elgeyo-Marakwet Speaker, Mr Kochai is the Secretary-General.