Orengo alleges IEBC plans to delay referendum

James Orengo at the Milimani Law Courts on January 12, 2016. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • On November 9, last year, Cord presented 1.4 million signatures to the commission, which is required to establish that all those listed are registered voters.

  • Wednesday, Mr Orengo and Mr Mwangi accused the commission of a scheme to delay the referendum.

  • Mr Chiloba said the verification has been slowed down because the signatures were presented in “hard copy instead of in softcopy and the lack of funds”.

Cord  has demanded that the electoral commission finish verification of the Okoa Kenya referendum signatures by February 4.

However, Okoa Kenya management committee co-chairmen James Orengo and Paul Mwangi did not state what Cord would do if the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission fails to do so.

Okoa Kenya proponents  argue the commission had a 90-day timeline to verify the signatures, counted from the day the list was presented.

The electoral agency said the Constitution does not have a timeline for verification. Chief executive Ezra Chiloba said the February 4 deadline was only “administrative”.

On November 9, last year, Cord presented 1.4 million signatures to the commission, which is required to establish that all those listed are registered voters.

Wednesday, Mr Orengo and Mr Mwangi accused the commission of a scheme to delay the referendum.

“They  are playing a dangerous game,” Mr Orengo said.

Mr Mwangi said: “We have not received any official request for an extension of the deadline.”

Mr Chiloba said the verification has been slowed down because the signatures were presented in “hard copy instead of in softcopy and the lack of funds”.

Senior Counsel Paul Muite said there was no timeline for the completion of verification, but the commission cannot take as “long as it wants”.

Mr Aggrey Mwamu, a Law Society of Kenya council member, said the law has no strict timeline, the commission risked being sued for deliberately delaying the process.

Senate Deputy Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen has already asked Cord to postpone the referendum, and have it as part of the 2017 General Election choices.