Jubilee Party begins plan to change election law
Anglican Church of Kenya Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit (centre) joined by other bishops in addressing media at All Saints Cathedral on September 27, 2017. They called for dialogue to find a way forward ahead of the repeat presidential poll and criticised move by Jubilee to change Election Act. PHOTO | FRANCIS NDERITU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa termed the move by Jubilee suspect, given that the party criticised the Supreme Court and threatened to remove the judges.
- The Anglican Church of Kenya has also criticised the proposals, saying they will water down the Constitution.
- The Bill is yet to be published but it is understood the changes will make the manual tallying and transmission of results superior to the electronic system.
Jubilee Party Wednesday signalled its determination to change the election law before the repeat presidential poll.
The party took advantage of its superiority in numbers to marshal an 83-37 vote against the Opposition, for the National Assembly to hold an extra sitting this morning to consider changes to the Elections Act.
That sitting is expected to start with the formal submission through the First Reading of the proposed law.
MPs will debate and then vote on the creation of a select committee to scrutinise the Bill and another to analyse the Supplementary Budget which contains the funding for the repeat poll.
CRITICISED
Majority Leader Aden Duale criticised the Opposition for its reluctance to participate in House activities yet it has named some of its leaders and its members are participating in debate.
He named Jubilee Party members of the select committee to scrutinise the mini-Budget.
He, however, said that when he asked Minority Leader John Mbadi about the Opposition’s membership, he was told Nasa leader Raila Odinga would have to decide. “This House will not wait for people who want to do consultations from quarters that are not recognised by the Standing Orders,” said Mr Duale.
The proposal has been criticised by Opposition MPs.
SUSPECT MOVE
Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa termed the move by Jubilee suspect, given that the party criticised the Supreme Court and threatened to remove the judges.
“It is my humble request that we wait. We want to move together as a House. We want to move together as one Kenya,” he said.
ANC nominated MP Godfrey Osotsi said the sitting would reverse the gains made in the management of the elections.
The Anglican Church of Kenya has also criticised the proposals, saying they will water down the Constitution.
“This is an unacceptable path since it will lead to mutilation of the Constitution and weakening of institutions,” said Archbishop Jackson ole Sapit, the head of the church in Kenya.
THE BILL
The Bill is yet to be published but it is understood the changes will make the manual tallying and transmission of results superior to the electronic system.
It is also understood the Bill will contain a provision for the vice-chairman to act as the chairman of the electoral agency in the absence of the chairman.
The proposal will also enable live-streaming of results declared at polling stations and make it mandatory for the poll commission’s chairman to have all forms 34A and 34B before announcing the presidential election results.
The changes are also to enhance the punishment of presiding and returning officers who fail to sign or complete the forms or who knowingly submit an incomplete document.
Also among the changes is a provision for the electoral commission to require a fresh nomination in case a presidential election is nullified.
