MPs set out to change election law ahead of repeat poll

The National Assembly has voted 83-37 to hold a sitting on Thursday morning whose main agenda will be the formation of special committees to consider the Supplementary Budget and amendments to the Elections Act.

Speaker Justin Muturi was forced to call for the physical vote after the opposition questioned his declaration that the Ayes had won in the vote by acclamation on the motion sponsored by Majority Leader Aden Duale.

PROTESTS

The opposition MPs wanted to stop the sitting on Thursday because they are opposed to the proposed changes to the Elections Act so close to the elections.

They will also be in a Parliamentary Group meeting.

The bill on the proposed changes to the law on elections is yet to be published but it is understood that Jubilee wants to make the changes to make the manual tallying and transmission of the results superior to the electronic.

Opposition MPs however described the proposed changes as suspicious, mischievous and unnecessary.

“We (should) wait until the presidential elections are done so that we know who will be president  and we can then move together as a team,” Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa pleaded before the matter was put to a vote.

ANC-nominated MP Godfrey Osotsi said the morning sitting would start the reversal of gains made in the management of elections.