www.Kisii.Com: Syndicated news from only reputable sources [Nation, and Standard Newspapers, Kenya Times, KBC, etc.]

Tight IIEC Calendar, Cash Snags Delay By-Elections

  • Print
Details
Published on Saturday, 13 March 2010 21:56

DESPITE the campaign mood hitting South Mugirango and Matuga constituencies; voters will have to wait longer before electing MPs. The anticipated referendum on constitution will force the electorate to stay without a representative for at least half a year.

This means that the two constituencies will not have a voice in Parliament during the 30- days the House will debate and possibly make changes to the proposed constitution. Also, parliamentary aspirants in the two constituencies, some of whom have already started campaigning, will root for votes for over five months.

Though Speaker Kenneth Marende has- already declared the two seats vacant effectively pushing out former MPs Orningo Magara for South Mugirango and Chirau Ali Mwakwere for Matuga, consultations with the Interim Independent Electoral Commission have seen the Speaker delay issuing writs. Once writs are issued, the IIEC is bound by law to conduct a by-e-election within 90 days.

Therefore, if Marende would have issued writs for South Mugirango when he declared it vacant on January 16, the constituency should have gotten an MP by end of April. Justice Daniel Musinga nullified Magara's election on December 17, accusing the presiding officers of failing to sign Forms 16A, which certify election results valid.

Matuga on its part should have elected its MP by end of May if the Speaker had issued the writs when he declared the seat vacant on February 26. Justice Mohamed Ibrahim, sitting in Mombasa, nullified Mwakwere's election on February 5.

According to the timetable released by IIEC chairman Issack Ahmed on the countrywide voter registration and referendum' the two by-elections would have clashed with the review process. Voters will be registered for 45 days starting March 22 and thereafter, 30 days to inspect the voters. The new register should be ready by early June to pave way for a referendum which is expected in late June or early August.

IIEC is however cash strapped though the Star learned that a series of meeting between the commission and Treasury are on going. Though IIEC had asked for Sh10 billion, Treasury has promised Sh7 billion for voter registration and referendum. Out of the Sh7 billion approved, only Sh1.2 billion had been released by last month with IIEC raising an alarm that delay could derail the referendum.