MPs' radical plans to reform IEBC

Kandara MP Alice Wahome. She is the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee vice chairperson. The JLAC wants political parities involved in matters concerning the IEBC. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Ms Wahome said the problems bedevilling the country are caused partly by the inadequate involvement of political parties.
  • The proposal before JLAC wants the next IEBC to have four members, two men and two women, to be nominated by the Parliamentary Service Commission.

Parliament is leaning towards an Inter-Parties Parliamentary Group (IPPG) model for a reformed electoral body as efforts to strike a solution to restructure the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) go on behind the scenes.

At least two proposals are currently on the table, one by Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) chaired by Baringo North MP William Cheptumo and a second one by Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma, both seeking to reform IEBC ahead of 2022 elections.

With just a few differences, both proposals agree on one thing: Political parties deserve to be accommodated within IEBC as commissioners and the IPPG model fits the bill.

The proposals currently being shaped come at a time the spotlight has shifted to IEBC again in light of the report by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chaired by Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi.

FIRE CHEBUKATI

In its report, PAC has recommended that the current IEBC commissioners led by chairman Wafula Chebukati should vacate office over claims of incompetence in the way they managed the 2017 elections.

“The commissioners were unable to offer urgent and decisive policy directions on procurement matters, compelling the secretariat to undertake direct procurement of all goods and services in a manner that was contrary to Article 227(1) of the Constitution insofar as it did not embody a process that was fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost-effective,” the report reads.

Kandara MP Alice Wahome, who is JLAC vice chairperson, said the problems bedevilling the country are caused partly by the inadequate involvement of political parties.

“IPPG seems to have worked well and it offers the balance that we need,” she said.

The proposal before JLAC wants the next IEBC to have four members, two men and two women, to be nominated by the Parliamentary Service Commission, essentially giving political parties the majority in the seven-member commission.

NOMINATION

One member each will come from the Public Service Commission, Teachers Service Commission and Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.

But there is a school of thought that TSC and EACC should be kept out. Instead, the proposal is to have PSC nominate two people while an umbrella body of religious organisations nominates one person.

Kisumu West MP Olago Aluoch, a member of JLAC, said: “We have not made much headway on that but JLAC will be meeting IEBC this week”.

In the Independent Electoral and Boundaries (Amendment) Bill, Mr Kaluma wants the majority and minority parties or coalition of parties to be given three slots each in IEBC, and one person being a lawyer (senior counsel) nominated by the Law Society of Kenya.

“The notion that there exist Kenyans or persons who are politically independent/neutral is a fallacy. This argument is largely purveyed by those who seek to conceal their scheme to control the EMB (Electoral Management Body),” Mr Kaluma said.

However, Ms Wahome said Mr Kaluma has not shared his proposals with JLAC, though he sits in the committee.