By Standard Team
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission’s public hearings on boundaries review have been characterised by protests and occasional violence.
From the Coast to Northern Kenya, issues at play have remained similar, ranging from differences of geographical boundaries, resources, clan interests, ethnic considerations and political concerns.
Protests over shifting of boundaries and lack of consideration for geographical features, for instance, marred IEBC public hearings in the North Rift.
Eldoret South MP Peris Simam came under fire for pushing for alteration of the constituency boundary to allegedly suit her political interests.
A stormy forum in Cheptiret sought to scuttle the MPs proposals to cede some areas under Eldoret South constituency to the new Kapsaret constituency.
Arid areas
Former Marakwet East MP Robert Kipkorir said IEBC should have noted the region has expansive arid and semi-arid lands.
"Due to poor terrain, it takes two days to travel across a single ward. Such wards should have been split to make representation easier," he said.
Kipchumba Murkomen, a Moi University lecturer, said the commission should have visited the ground before coming up with the boundaries.
In Turkana, the long-standing conflicts between the community and their neighbours played out before the IEBC hearings in Lodwar.
The community demanded that the State first sorts out the conflicts and restores initial administration boundaries before boundaries can be marked.
They were led by East African Legislative Assembly MP Christopher Nakuleu, former Turkana Central MP Emmanuel Imana and County Council Chairman Eliud Kerio.
The Pokot said the Turkana had taken over part of their land, especially around Kainuk and other areas along their common border.
In Nandi and Trans Nzoia counties, the IEBC hearings were met by protests over shifting of locations from existing constituencies to new ones. In the South-Rift, Nakuru residents want the final boundaries pegged on numbers and geographical settings.
"All we want is a ward or a constituency for Kenyans from any tribe. We are against any attempt to divide the Rift Valley residents on tribal groupings through the wards and constituencies," said Isha Gichangi, a former civic leader.
In Kuresoi, residents said if one constituency was split strictly to accommodate a given tribe, the other tribes would feel isolated.
But in other constituencies, tribal and clan interests dominated the debates. In Baringo County, members of the Endorois community protested against a move by the commission to place them under one ward with their neighbours from the Ilchamus community.
Emotions run high in Kinangop as residents rejected the IEBC proposal to hive off a section of the constituency, instead of splitting it. They were angered by the move to hive part of the constituency to be part of Kipipiri.
In Kericho, residents differed with the IEBC’s proposed boundaries, arguing it placed huge farming investments in some constituencies, leaving others with nothing. In North-Eastern, Wajir South constituents accused the defunct Andrew Ligale-led Interim Independent Boundary Review Commission of furthering vested interests.
"The report fell far short of our expectations," said former Wajir South MP Mohammed Affey.
In Wajir East, the bone of contention was the fate of Kotulo division and Laheley location. While a section of leaders led by Cabinet minister Mohammed Elmi wants Kutulo and Lafey to be carved out of Wajir East constituency to form the proposed Tarbaj constituency but another group wants the two areas to remain in Wajir East.
Meanwhile, the creation of new constituencies has become an explosive issue in the Mt Kenya region, with leaders accusing IEBC of giving the area a raw deal.
Central Kenya was allocated five new constituencies by the Ligale Commission — four in Kiambu County and one in Nyandarua – and most local leaders feel they were not given a fair hearing.
Chairman of Central Kenya Parliamentary Group Ephraim Maina is leading the protest, saying the report should be rejected. There is also contention in Nyandarua where parts of Ol-Kalou constituency have been moved to Ndaragwa, much to the chagrin of MPs Erastus Mureithi and Jeremiah Kioni.
In Kirinyaga, Mwea residents led by MP Peter Gitau are opposed to the hiving off of some areas to Ndia constituency.
"If we canno t get a new constituency, we would want our constituency boundaries to remain the way they were," said Gitau.
Over in Murang’a, residents of Gatura in Gatanga constituency are up in arms against the decision to be part of Gatanga ward.
And in the neighbouring Laikipia, former Speaker Francis Kaparo differed with Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri over wards allocated in the proposed Laikipia North constituency.
In Mombasa, violence marred IEBC hearings as a section of Changamwe residents rejected the splitting of the constituency.
The sittings were disrupted as two groups differed over the inclusion of Changamwe ward in Jomvu Constituency.
Commissioner Yusuf Nzibo and other officials from IEBC could not contain the rowdy residents at the Bandari College Hall as tempers flared, forcing police to intervene.
Tourism Minister and Mvita MP Najib Balala told The Standard on Sunday on the telephone that he fully endorsed the IEBC proposals on the new boundaries. In Taita-Taveta, leaders in Wundanyi constituency rejected the report.
Opposed transfers
The leaders, who included Wundanyi MP Thomas Mwadeghu, were opposed to the transfer of some sub-locations to other areas.
But in a sharp contrast, residents of Western Province largely accepted the IEBC proposals. In Amagoro, residents resolved the IEBC proposals on Teso North and South constituencies be adopted.
In Bungoma, the sittings were disrupted after two rival groups clashed over the name of a newly created constituency in Webuye.
The rivalry pitted supporters of Webuye MP Alfred Sambu against those of Nominated MP Musikari Kombo. In Nyanza, the IENC report was received with mixed reactions.
In Alego/Usonga, residents opposed boundaries of the proposed Ugunja constituency, saying it interfered with one of the locations. And in Bomachoge, leaders want IEBC to take fresh views on proposed new constituency boundaries.
—By Vincent Bartoo, Beauttah Omanga, Francis Ngige, Boniface Ongeri, Allan Kisia, Kepher Otieno and Linah Benyawa
