CORD retreats to chart way forward on IEBC reforms

Reforms at the electoral agency will be on top of the agenda when the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) retreats to Naivasha this weekend, The Standard has established.

Opposition chiefs Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang’ula will lead MPs, senators, governors and the coalition’s management committee in deliberations on programmes and activities CORD will engage in towards the 2017 polls.

The opposition coalition insists that since the last General Election, there has been no goodwill to institute necessary reforms at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Given that there is already a special audit before the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), CORD will rely on the outcomes of the probe, which has exposed several weaknesses within the commission in the way it conducts business.

Main focus

Coming days after Wiper Democratic Movement and Ford Kenya held their retreats and endorsed Kalonzo and Wetang’ula for the presidency respectively, the matter is likely to come up.

Head of CORD Secretariat Norman Magaya, however, said the Opposition’s presidential candidate will not be discussed.

“Our main focus now is how to strengthen the coalition to take over Government after the elections. It’s still early to talk about who will fly the presidential flag,” Mr Magaya said.

However, Wiper Secretary General Hassan Omar said the issue is dicey and cannot be swept under the rag.

“I’m certain that from the preliminary discussions at our affiliate level, this matter will come up and we have to deal with it. What we will preach to our members is unity of purpose,” said Omar

Tame ‘rebels’

The Mombasa senator said they would use the retreat to tame ‘rebels’ and win back those who have openly expressed interest in ditching CORD.

“The Political Parties Act is very clear on how to deal with errant behaviour. We are a maturing democracy and we would expect our members to conform to law,” he said.

MPs Nicholas Gumbo (Rarieda) and Opondo Kaluma (Homa Bay Town) said IEBC must be dealt with if the Opposition is to participate in the next elections.

Mr Gumbo said the retreat would be more of about the Opposition’s strategy to form the next government.

Mr Kaluma said CORD will discuss strategies and preparations for the 2017 polls, adding that the intended radical reforms at IEBC should not be misconstrued to mean that the commissioners are being targeted.

“We insist on reforms to electoral laws and systems to deliver free, fair and credible elections. We do not target individual commissioners except where one is culpable of crime or wrongdoing,” he said.