Brace Yourselves For A 2018 General Elections. – Kandara MP.

Kandara MP Alice Muthoni Wahome has called on Kenyans to brace for a possibility of a March 2018  General Elections since  it was rather very difficult to have a reconstituted IEBC within the remaining period to August 8^th 2017 elections date.

Speaking at Kagundu Primary School where she was chief guest in the Kandara Under-16 Youth Football Finals, Alice opposed calls by CORD politicians for the disbandment of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), saying its dissolution will complicate preparations for the 2017 General Elections.

  

“It is not possible (for Parliament) to complete the process of the legislative amendments at this stage. We have about 12 months and it is most likely that the coming general elections will be pushed forward. We had as parliament proposed postponing them to December 2016 but we lost by a few votes. But should it become necessary, Kenyans must have to bear the possibility of an extended electoral period,” said the MP.

She explained that the disbandment and reconstituting of the commissioners was a long process that involved presenting a petition to the National Assembly setting out the alleged facts constituting that ground, the National Assembly considering this petition if it satisfied their disbandment before the petition is sent to the President. It also involved the vetting and training of the new set of commissioners who in turn would have to check and update the voters register and prepare for the next General Elections.

According to recommendations of the 2009 Kriegler Report, IEBC needed a total of 12 months to effectively discharge its mandate for the general elections.

The Legislator argued that, as Jubilee, they were never in support of the removal of the IEBC commissioners but it was unfortunate that the call had been taken beyond constitutional limits by branding them as very bad people. This was in intended to erode the public’s confidence in them.

She however said that they would still be within the precincts of the constitution since the term of the 11^th Parliament ended in March 2018. She added that this was a transitional parliament thus it was in still within the constitutional term limits of 5 years.

She clarified that the extension did not call for any referendum as it was basically a parliamentary process that only demanded for an amendment.

“Since the constitution has to be changed, the only thing we must guard against now is the likelihood of calling for a transitional government or a caretaker government after August 2017. We have looked at the necessary provisions including Article 251 (of the Kenyan Constitution) and there is nothing to the effect that this would lead to a referendum.”

She bragged that Jubilee was confident with a 2017 win which she said was beyond doubts.

“The arbiter for us does not matter so long as the commissioners have integrity and proper skills. Of course, their image has been badly injured. Therefore, we do not want do not want a situation where when we win people are raising these same questions that the commissioners are not neutral. We want free and fair election. As Jubilee we are happy that the opposition is actually disintegrating. Of course the scapegoat is Jubilee. Indeed they will definitely not form the next government,” she boasted.

Commissioners in all constitutional bodies enjoy security of tenure as governed by chapter 15 of constitution articles 248(1) and 251, and can only be removed from office only for serious violation of the constitution or any other law; gross misconduct; physical or mental incapacity to perform the functions of office; incompetence and bankruptcy. Should the question of removal arise, the president is authorized to appoint a tribunal to investigate the petition for removal after consideration by the National Assembly.

On the issue of schools unrests, the Kandara MP lamented that the constituency had its own share of the disturbances although on a mild extent. She warned both students and parents that these acts were criminal and each of the culprits would have to carry their own crosses.

She appealed to all students to maintain discipline and mind their future which she said could be ruined by just one minute of madness. She requested teachers to embrace dialogue with the students as one way to curb the menace.

She also called on the Ministry of Education to move swiftly with the affairs of the task force that had been set up by parliament to look into the causes of these strikes and seek lasting solutions to the same.

The MP said that part of the reason she organised this tournament was to involve the youth in positive energy execution and pull them away from negative influence.

“Our objective is really to create interest in the youth below 16 years to enhance the building of character by embracing discipline, honesty and integrity.”

She said that in the coming Fiscal Year, her CDF Committee was working on an extended programme that will include the older set of youth in a another football tournament as well as a talent search and an athletic completion and training.

She said that after this, they were going to tap the raw talent in the constituency and work out a programme that would see them progress in their fields of talent.