Stick to polls timeline to avoid chaos, says Martha Karua

NARC-Kenya party leader Martha Karua addressing the press during the party meeting in Nakuru on September 28,2016. She warned of electoral crisis next year unless the government strictly complies with timelines set out in replacing IEBC commissioners from office. (PHOTO: KIPSANG JOSEPH/ STANDARD)

NARC-Kenya party leader Martha Karua has warned of an electoral crisis unless the timeline set for the removal of electoral agency officials are adhered to.

Ms Karua told the Government to strictly comply with the set out timeline in the replacement of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chiefs.

Speaking in Nakuru yesterday, Karua said as a party, they were concerned with what appears to be a deliberate and calculated delay in facilitating the exit of the current IEBC commissioners, and subsequent appointment of new ones as set out in the IEBC (Amendment) Act.

According to the former Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister, failure by the Jubilee government to ensure that new IEBC commissioners are recruited eight months before the 2017 elections is likely to interfere with the polls calendar.

"It is clear that IEBC should procure the electronic voter system at least eight months before the elections, which means the new commissioners ought to be in office within October if they are to procure the equipment on time," said Karua.

Karua, who was in Nakuru to close a three-day party retreat, reiterated the need for the Issack Hassan-led team to be out of office by tomorrow.

"This critical timelines are likely to be missed. The intention was to have the new commissioners in office in good time to do things as required before the country goes to the polls," she said.

Karua regretted that Parliament was yet to enact the Election Offenses Act, saying as a nation, the sanctity of the vote must be protected and closely held.

"Failure to enact an Election Offences Act will escalate chaos and indiscipline in the electoral cycle, a situation that is undesirable and which undermines free and fair elections," she said.

Narc Kenya, Karua said, will field candidates in all elective posts, next year.