The 2017 election date will not be changed as early feared – The Joint Select Committee has agreed not to alter the constitution after ...
The 2017 election date will not be changed as early feared
– The Joint Select Committee has agreed not to alter the constitution after the resignation of IEBC commissioners
The parliamentary joint select committee on electoral reforms has ruled out any changes to the constitution, effectively ending speculation that the 2017 general election date could be pushed forward.
The committee has been deliberating on the way forward after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioners agreed to leave office after sustained pressure from the opposition.
It was feared that finding a replacement to oversee the 2017 polls would require a lot of time, effectively pushing the date forward, but with the latest development, the general election is likely to take place on the second Tuesday of August 2017.
There have also been disagreement between members of the two political divides in the committee, but it is understood they have also agreed on how the presidential results will be announced.
According to Nation, the results will be announced at polling stations, collated at the constituency level and finally declared at the National Tallying Centre by the chair of the commission.
However, the committee is yet to agree on how the new commissioners will be picked, as members from both Jubilee and CORD maintain their stands.
CORD is of the opinion that political parties be allowed to pick the new commissioners while the Jubilee is opposed to it and wants due process to be followed.
The CORD also wants between five and seven commissioners while Jubilee wants nine.
The joint select committee was formed after weeks of demonstrations by the CORD and its supporters to demand the removal of IEBC commissioners from office.
The opposition accused the commissioners of failed integrity and corruption, accusations that the officers denied and vowed to stay put despite the protests.
Efforts by the opposition to have dialogue with President Uhuru Kenyatta also bore no fruit, leading to more demonstrations.
