Jubilee has hatched a new plot to frustrate full implementation of newly enacted election laws, the Opposition has claimed.
Senators James Orengo (Siaya), Johnson Muthama (Machakos) and MP Eseli Simuyu (Tongaren) yesterday warned that the Opposition would resist attempts to stall electoral reforms.
The three CORD management committee members claimed the Jubilee coalition was working with the electoral agency to frustrate the laws passed after a month-long street protests by the Opposition.
They said they would reject attempts to push the August 8, 2017 General Election date, adding that the election timetable must be obeyed to the letter.
“Even before the ink is dry on the Elections Laws (Amendment) Act there is an attempt to amend the statute and draft proposals have already been sent to the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee of the National Assembly,” Mr Orengo said.
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Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria had told The Standard that some of the provisions were not practical and should be amended.
Mr Kuria said provisions making it mandatory to have the polls electronically conducted should be amended to give room for manual voting in the event of a technological failure.
“There are some provisions which are not just practical. Much as we want to conduct the polls electronically, should there be a failure of technology either because electricity is out or there is no network the right to vote cannot be compromised,” Kuria said in a previous interview.
Yesterday, CORD claimed the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) secretariat was working in cahoots with the Jubilee administration to oppose the reduction of the number of voters registered in every polling station.
“But IEBC said CORD claims were false and urged politicians to be cautious while making statements that can cause anxiety ahead of the polls.
“Since CORD had a high level participation in the drafting of this new law, that is clear and detailed on implementation, the call on IEBC to postpone operations is tantamount to blowing the start and stop whistle concurrently,” said the electoral body.
“The remarks by CORD are unfortunate considering that on November 14, 2016, the CEO had clarified the issues in response to CORD’s letter dated November 3,”.
The Government dismissed CORD’s claims as a scheme to prepare the ground for rejection of results should their candidate lose. “They have told Kenyans in their endless press conferences that they will cause violence if they do not win,” said Deputy President William Ruto’s spokesman David Mugonyi.
