Jubilee MPs push through disputed electoral laws

Jublee legislators in celebrations after passing the election Amendment Bill 2017 at Parliament Buildings on 22-12-16  [PHOTO: MOSES OMUSULA/Standard]

Eight months to elections, Kenya is at a crossroads after Jubilee pushed through amendments to the electoral laws, against the wishes of the Opposition, who responded with a call for mass action.

Kenya was a divided nation yesterday as Opposition Members of Parliament stormed out of Parliament to protest against Jubilee’s move to reconvene Parliament just hours after another acrimonious debate during which CORD thwarted attempts to change the Elections Act (2016) to provide for a manual process should the electronic system fail.

It took less than 30 minutes yesterday for Jubilee MPs to pass all the amendments to the controversial law, shortly after the Opposition stormed out.

CORD leaders Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang'ula accused Jubilee of subverting parliamentary democracy and suppressing the will of the people.

Mr Raila said: "Jubilee members are used to rigging and resurrecting the dead to vote. We have agreed that if we lose, we shall concede but they should also accept that they can be defeated and should concede if that happens."

He added: "We want to tell (Deputy President William) Ruto and (President) Uhuru (Kenyatta) that Kenya does not belong to them alone but to all Kenyans. We don't want war but peace. No transparency, no elections."

Mr Kalonzo said Jubilee had invited them to the streets, adding that: "We have no option but to go back to the streets for peaceful mass action." He argued that protest is a constitutional right and lawful.

"Raila Odinga is not the common denominator in Kenya. You don't have to go to the negotiating table to amend a law. Elections will not be about electronic voting. There are people who do not want elections to proceed because they have sensed defeat," responded National Assembly Majority Leader Adan Duale.

Law Society of Kenya President Isaac Okero said lawyers across the country were gravely concerned by the government's new resolve to intimidate and threaten judges handling political cases.

"The LSK condemns unequivocally and unreservedly this and any attempt to threaten or intimidate the honourable judge (George Odunga) or any member of the Judiciary exercising judicial authority. It is an attack on the independence of the Judiciary and on the integrity of the honourable judge and an abuse of parliamentary privilege. It is conduct completely untenable in any civilised democracy," Okero said.

The enraged Opposition leaders held a press conference after the walkout where they accused their colleagues of sneaking guns and other weapons to the august House amid other allegations that some lawmakers had fought inside the House.

There was total blackout inside the chambers as journalists were locked out and live TV coverage switched off and some journalists were manhandled for taking pictures.

Minutes after Jubilee leaders passed the amendment, its MPs lashed out at Justice Odunga, a High Court judge challenging the legality of yesterday's session.