Cord opposes 'tribunal' on future of electoral bosses

Joint Select Committee members on electoral reforms (from left) James Orengo, Mohammed Mahmoud, Mutula Kilonzo Jr, and Johnson Muthama at County Hall in Nairobi on July 27, 2016. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Cord team sais IEBC bungled the procurement of voting materials in the last elections.
  • Mr Edwin Ng'ong'a said that this was the case with the electronic voter identification devices and the results transmission system.

Members of the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) have opposed possible formation of a tribunal that would oversee the removal of electoral commissioners.

Instead, the coalition's representatives told the Joint Select Committee on electoral reforms that top officials of the Independent and Electoral Boundaries Commission (IEBC) should leave in the interest of the public.

"These are unprecedented circumstances and we want to persuade the committee that the way to go is by [a] negotiated settlement," said Anthony Oluoch, a lawyer who outlined the legal issues associated with the IEBC.

Further, the coalition argued that the IEBC failed in its conduct in the last general elections by bungling the procurement of voting materials.

When some of the materials were bought, said Edwin Ng'ong'a, they were deliberately set up to fail.

Mr Ng'ong'a said this was the case with the electronic voter identification devices and the results transmission system.

Mr Ng'ong'a based his assertions on reports by the Auditor-General and the Public Accounts Committee as well as the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board.

"The begging question would be why should you have technology at your disposal and collude to fail it? Today, if you were to procure the same systems and install them, they would work," Mr Ng'onga said.
The Jubilee coalition will offer its views next.

(Editing by Joel Muinde)