House team defy NADCO wishes following alteration of IEBC amendment Bill 2024 » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya Apr 25 – Political tension is looming after the National Assembly Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) introduced a range of changes to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Bill violating recommendations by the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO).

NADCO recommended passage of the eight Bills on NADCO recommendations without changes with IEBC Bill set to anchor electoral reforms in law ahead of the next general election.

Proposals by NADCO committee co-chaired by National Assembly majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah and Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka touching on constitutional, legal and policy reforms are domained in eight bills which the committee wanted passed without alteration.

JLAC report tabled before the house for consideration before being passed has been several changes to the Bill.

Some of the changes include the amendment of clause six to have the electoral agency assess election results within one and a half years.

The proposal issued by NADCO called for the assessment of the poll outcome to be done within one year.

“The review shall be completed within eighteen months after every general election and the Commission shall publish the report in the Gazette and submit the report to Parliament,” reads the report.

The George Murugara-led committee also proposed to revise the term of office of the of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) secretary- who is the Chief Executive Officer- to a non-renewal 6-year term.

NADCO proposed that the secretary shall hold office for a term of three years which shall be renewable for re-appointment for another team.

JLAC agreed with the proposal to increase the numbers of the IEBC selection Panel, from a current seven to nine.

The House Committee recommended that the Parliamentary Service Commission will be charged with the expenses of the Selection Panel.

“The committee observed that the revision of the membership of the selection panel to give the Political Parties Liaison Committee extra slots for the persons they should nominate is due to the fact that a general election is a political process,” read the report.

The Selection Panel is set to consist of two persons nominated by the Parliamentary Service Commission, representing the majority/minority parties or coalitions of parties.

Two persons nominated by the Political Parties Liaison Committee of whom one shall be from a party other than a Parliamentary party or coalition of parties, another from a political party or coalition forming the national government whereas one should be from a party or coalition not forming government.

It will also consist of one person nominated by the Law Society of Kenya, one from the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya and two persons nominated by the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya.

Under the Act,the nominating bodies shall be required to submit names of their nominees within fourteen days of the commencement of the Act.

The President is required to appoint a selection panel within seven days of receipt of the names.

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