The IEBC select team has reached a deal that will see a new team in office by September 30 as well as put an end to party hopping.
“We have discussed and agreed how to fill the new offices. We have further agreed that the current commissioners should make a dignified exit, once the new commissioners are sworn in, and that should not be later than September 30, 2016,” said Siaya Senator James Orengo, the co-chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Select Committee.
Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi, the other chairman, added: “In light of the fast-approaching date of the next General Election, the processes of the appointment and recruitment of the new commissioners must be done with immense urgency.” In future, the team said, the IEBC recruitment processes should commence at least six months before the expiry of their term.
The elections are due on August 8, 2017, meaning Parliament will have to race against time to implement amendments to the law to legislate the political settlement that also covers an audit of the poll register, proposals on tallying and announcement of election results, including presidential, at each polling station, and new party nomination timelines to eliminate party hopping.
The Meru senator explained that a nine-member panel, drawing members from the Parliamentary Select Commission, and the clergy will be formed immediately after the adoption of the report to start the recruitment of the commissioners.
“It will comprise four persons being two men and two women appointed by the Parliamentary Service Commission, one by the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, one by the National Council of Churches of Kenya, One by the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya, one by Supreme Council of Muslims of Kenya, National Muslim Leaders Forum, Council of Islamic Preachers of Kenya and Ulamaa, and one person by Hindu Council of Kenya,” he said. The PSC will provide secretarial services to the recruitment panel.
The team agreed that nominations of all political parties for the next elections be carried out by the new team and in the process inserted clauses which will end the problem of party hopping. All political parties will be required to publish names of members 14 days to the nominations.
