By May 9, 2022, all political parties should have held their primaries and presented their candidates to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
This means the political parties have less than one year to put their house in order in readiness for the August 9, 2022 General Election. It is therefore a race against time for all stakeholders.
However, the political push to amend the Constitution seems to wrongly suggest that the timelines could be altered to accommodate a referendum.
By August 9, next year Kenyans should go to the polls to elect a president, senators, governors, Members of Parliament and MCAs. That is what the Constitution declares through the electoral laws. For peaceful, fair and transparent elections next year, Kenyans from all walks of life should prepare for and demand a smooth process.
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The institutions mandated to conduct elections must be ready in good time. They include the IEBC, political parties and security agencies. Others include the civic bodies that conduct awareness and the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that promote democracy.
The government and ordinary Kenyans should therefore listen keenly to voices calling for preparations for next year’s elections because time is running out.
For instance, a new caucus of MPs has initiated a push for minimum reforms through Parliament, seeking to fix the IEBC and pass some proposals contained in the BBI Bill that do not require a referendum. Why not give them an ear?
Another voice is from the newly created Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), rooting for a shift of focus from the BBI route and work towards a fair and transparent General Election.
They also backed a Parliament-driven process to ensure the August 9th 2022 elections are held on time and peacefully. They also condemned the attacks on the five judges who ruled the BBI Bill unconstitutional, warning that is a dangerous path for the country to take.
Ultimately, the voice of reason should prevail because elections come and go. Kenya is greater than any one of us, and the conduct of an election should not put a permanent wedge among hitherto neighbours and friends.
However, let the electoral playing field be levelled in good time. This is because in most cases, electoral violence erupts when there are suspicions on the outcome when the votes are finally counted and the winner declared. We must fix the IEBC and assure all competitors of a fair game.
