Kiraitu, Orengo team seeking to extend their term by a year

The team of MPs and senators handling talks on electoral reforms wants to be given one year so that it can supervise the implementation of its recommendations.

Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, who was among seven legislators representing Jubilee in the 14-member team that concluded its work on Friday, said the team would be making the proposal during a joint House leadership meeting on Monday.

“Our proposal is to have an expanded team to include Majority and Minority leaders of both Houses and the chairman of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee in the Senate and the National Assembly to make it a 20-member team. The team will ensure recommendations of the select committee are not lost and are implemented in the period to the next General Election,” he said.

Another member of the select team from the Cord side, Suna East MP Junet Mohammed, confirmed that they will present a proposal for a one year extension.

The MPs, led by Senators Kiraitu Murungi and James Orengo have recommended a thorough audit of the voters’ register, the appointment of a panel to interview the new crop of electoral commissioners and a strict adherence to the election date to ensure that the next elections are free, fair and credible.

The leaders reached a deal on a raft of proposal on Friday night, just a few hours before their 30-day mandate expired. Now, however, they want to stay on and ensure that their recommendations are implemented.

The move to expand the 14-member team is seen as means to rally support for it’s recommendations.

Already, Mr Samuel Chepkonga, who chairs the Justice and Legal Affairs committee of the National Assembly has questioned some of the decisions reached by the MPs, including negotiating a send-off package for the nine commissioners. According to him, the proposal was not backed by law.

The inclusion of Mr Chepkonga and Mr Amos Wako, who chairs the Legal and Human Rights committee in the Senate, as well as Majority leaders Aden Duale and Kithure Kindiki is meant to iron out any differences over the work of the MPs and departmental committees, which are mandated by law to reform the electoral process.

According to Mr Kuria, Monday’s talks will decide whether to extend the term of the select team in an oversight role for the next one year. The talks will be led by Speaker Justin Muturi and his Senate counterpart, Mr Ekwee Ethuro.

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“The House leadership may decide to tell the committee well, you have done a good job and you may go home and rest or extend its term for one year to ensure its recommendations are not lost and are fully implemented,” he said.

NINE FULL TIME COMMISSIONERS

It also emerged that Cord, whose representatives in the select team were led by Mr Orengo, was yet to decide on the number of commissioners. At the weekend, it was still reviewing the proposal by the Jubilee to have nine full-time commissioners.

Mr Kuria said that Jubilee would agree with whatever proposal Cord put on the table. Initial indications were that Cord wants between three and five part-time commissioners.

Jubilee has been rooting for a bigger number or at least nine, taking into consideration the “volume of work” in an election year. The coalition is also pushing for regional balance, with each commissioner representing the eight former provinces and a chairman to avoid issues of lack of exclusion given that elections are traditionally an emotive issue.

Mr Kuria also appeared to differ with Mr Chepkonga on a negotiated gratuity for the IEBC commissioners who have agreed to step down.

The commissioners, led by Chairman Issack Hassan, have expressed willingness to leave office on condition that they are not prosecuted and that they are paid their final dues.

“The Constitution provides for fair administrative action to ensure dignified send off,” Mr Kuria said.

However, Gichugu MP Njogu Barua said talks of a sendoff package for the IEBC chiefs was premature, since the Constitution did not envisage a vacuum in the commission.

“The commissioners are innocent and they are still in office. The issue of their sendoff package should only be discussed when there is a new team in office, or when they have offered to resign. Right now they are legally in office,” he said.

In case they are paid a golden handshake, Mr Barua was of the view that they should seek deployment in similar capacity within other State departments, to justify their pay.

According to him, paying the commissioners and sending them home right away would set a bad precedent that State officers can be paid for work not done.