County Assemblies speakers and members have told the special commission investigating the fate of IEBC that they want the general elections scheduled for August 2017 moved to March 2018.
The members who were speaking under the County Assemblies Forum said that their calls were informed by their own interpretation of the Kenyan constitution.
“We all agree there is a conflict in the Constitution between the terms of the MCAs and other elected leaders. It is why the county assemblies have gone to court,” said Stephen Ngelu who spoke on behalf of the forum.
He, however, came under fire from lawmakers, who argued that their interpretation of the Constitution is misleading and accused them of being selfish.
“I’m reading a lot of selfishness in their presentation. It’s like they have come here to bid for their term to last five years,” said Junet Mohamed, the Suna East MP.
“Let me assure you that as sure as day follows night, the next elections will be on August 8, 2017,” said Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria.
Mutula Kilonzo Jr (Makueni, Wiper) said that as per the Supreme Court’s ruling in December 2012 regarding the date of the election, people elected in 2013 were put on notice that their term would not be the full five years.
The committee’s co-chairmen, senators Kiraitu Murungi and James Orengo, also pointed out sections of the Constitution they said the MCAs had ignored in putting forward their arguments.
