Deal on IEBC talks expected this week

President Uhuru Kenyatta shakes hands with Cord  leader Raila Odinga while Deputy William Ruto (right) and Moses Wetangula look on at State House, Nairobi. (Photo: File)

Jubilee and CORD have to thrash out three sticky issues before a deal is reached on the fate of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

If the issues will be resolved within the week, the talks could formally begin next week.

The main bone of contention is a demand by the Opposition that the final document from Parliament be signed by President Uhuru Kenyatta and CORD leader Raila Odinga.

Other demands by CORD are inclusion of two rapporteurs from each side seconded to the joint Senate and National Assembly select committee, who will brief the President and Raila on the talks progress.

According to a document seen by The Standard on Sunday, the Opposition also wants each side of the seven–member select committee to have a single unanimous vote and not 14 votes for each member in the committee.

But while Jubilee has yielded to one of the demands and agreed they can have one rapporteur from each coalition in the talks, they have rejected anything that will run contrary to parliamentary Standing Orders in the proceedings.

“We have agreed to their demands that we can allow one rapporteur from each side on top of the joint secretariat, but we have informed them that the rapportuers will not contribute at the proceedings — all they will do is listen and report to their members on the on-goings,” said a Jubilee committee member, who declined to be named because it could stall negotiations.

Jubilee is also opposed to demands by CORD that President Kenyatta and Raila sign the final document from the select committee. It wants the matter handled by the Majority and Minority leaders of both Houses.

CORD is yet to respond to Jubilee’s position that the rules of proceedings be guided by the Standing Orders where each of the member is entitled to a single vote.

Jubilee wants two-thirds of members of the select committee vote to endorse the final document before it is brought to Parliament.

The two groups have been under enormous pressure from religious leaders and foreign diplomats to begin the talks. They played a significant role in bringing CORD and Jubilee to agree on the broader issues.

Street protests

Momentum for talks also peaked after CORD called off demonstrations to press for the removal of IEBC commissioners.

According to the mediation team of religious leaders, a motion to approve the select committee should be tabled in both the Senate and the National Assembly soon.

Catholic Bishop Alfred Rotich described the mediation process as having been difficult in the beginning. “But after the ruling coalition and the Opposition built trust, they warmed up and the process began to move forward.”

In shepherding the talks, the religious leaders started by bridging differences between the two sides.

 National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) Secretary General Peter Karanja said when discussions began, CORD was not prepared to cede authority to the National Assembly where Jubilee enjoys a majority.

“When we began the talks, CORD was on the streets, Jubilee maintained a hard line position while IEBC commissioners were digging in,”   said Karanja.

Karanja now believes significant ground has been covered and all the fundamental issues resolved.

 “The pending issue for instance is that after the selection committee will have completed the report, will the CORD leader and the President sign the document or will the matter be purely left to Parliament?” said Karanja.

NCCK Secretary General, who was among the key initiators of the mediation process, said diplomats and religious leaders have closely shaped up the debate.

Karanja added: “While we were agonising, the diplomats were also doing the same. Everyone seemed to recognise that something needed to be done urgently within the short period remaining before elections.”

He said although the diplomat was actively involved, they operated discreetly and only came out when the process was at the structured stage.

US ambassador Robert Godec last week delivered the final copy of the harmonised CORD and Jubilee documents to each team in what was the final exchange after a protracted grandstanding.

In the final harmonised documents seen by The Standard on Sunday, Jubilee and CORD have unanimously agreed only electoral reforms will be handled by the select committee.

Bishop Rotich said much ground has now been covered.

“As we speak, there is a lot of goodwill from Jubilee and CORD and we do thank them for putting the country first. A solution can now be reached soon. We now call on Kenyans to read the IEBC Act and familiarise themselves with it so that they can provide meaningful suggestions,” he noted.