Team welcomes public views on election laws

The parliamentary committees scrutinising the controversial bills on electoral laws will hold public hearings from Tuesday.

Despite the storm provoked by the publication of the proposals, the teams from the Senate and the National Assembly expressed confidence the public hearings would instil confidence in the move by the Jubilee Party.

They asked interested parties and the public to submit written memoranda expressing views on the bills between Monday and Thursday.

PROGRESSIVE

Public participation is a mandatory stage in law making.

The team has invited the Judiciary, the Law Society of Kenya, civil society groups, the business community, information technology organisations, the media, political parties, county governments and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.

Baringo North MP William Cheptumo, who is heading the nine-member team from the National Assembly, repeated the call by Jubilee leaders that the bill be read first before being condemned.

“Get a copy of the proposed amendments and you’ll realise they are for the good of this country.

"It is being done for the betterment of Kenya and for the elections. Any perceptions created will be cleared as we receive the views,” Mr Cheptumo said.

PARTICIPATION
Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo, who is heading the team in the Senate, spoke of the team’s frustration that the Opposition has refused to be part of the preparation of the laws.

“We have invited them, we have begged them to come talk with us. They have refused,” she said.

Mr Cheptumo and Ms Dullo deflected questions on what the committee would do given that IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati has said there is, in the commission’s view, no need for a review of the law.

“The chairman will have a chance to give his views when he comes,” Mr Cheptumo said.

“We want at this point in time not to respond to opinions by candidates and others,” he added.

VIOLENCE
The National Assembly is currently on an 11-day break and will resume sittings for three days from October 10, meaning the House will have just four sittings to take the bills through the Second and Third Readings.

The proposed changes continue to be criticised.

On Saturday, Kisumu Catholic Archbishop Zacchaeus Okoth expressed fears that the proposed amendments of the Election Act could plunge the country into chaos.

Bishop Okoth also accused Jubilee MPs of blackmailing Kenyans into believing that the amendments on the Election Act are aimed at improving the country’s electoral process.

“In real sense, the amendments are geared towards suiting their political interests,” the bishop said.

PEACE
He called on Jubilee politicians not to approve the amendments for the sake of peace.  

The politicians, the bishop said, should desist from misleading Kenyans on their intentions, insisting that the amendments will only open up rigging avenues, which will ultimately affect the credibility of the country’s future polls, thus exposing the country to violence.

“It is high time parliamentarians exercised caution in their duties since they will be held responsible in case of any turmoil in future.

"It is unfair for them to claim that they have the numbers to institute these changes without considering the aftermath of their actions,” Bishop Okoth said.

TALKS
He was speaking at Sigomere Catholic Church during the church’s 25th anniversary.

The event was also attended by Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi.

He called on Kenyans of goodwill to pray for the IEBC commissioners and Jubilee Party ahead of the presidential election.

The Bishop joined the Anglican Church in calling for immediate negotiations among all the stakeholders involved in the elections, including the IEBC, Nasa, Jubilee Party and the clergy in order to end the political stalemate.

UHURU KENYATTA
He also called for the sacking and prosecution of the IEBC officials who bungled the August 8 elections as a way of ensuring that the coming polls are credible and transparent.

The Bishop said that the continued standoff between the IEBC and political parties will provide Parliament with an ample opportunity to approve the bill and thus place the country’s future in jeopardy.

Bishop Okoth also accused President Uhuru Kenyatta of abdicating his duties by violating the Constitution and “using the police to rein in people opposed to him”.

When he spoke, Mr Wandayi agreed with the bishop and, in addition, called on the international community to intervene in the matter before it escalates into violence.