Coalitions in fresh battle over electoral reforms

Renewed battle between Jubilee and the Opposition over electoral laws and reconstitution of the polls’ commission is back with force, and may trigger a political crisis.

At the core of the differences is the delay in hiring of new commissioners and the move by Jubilee to change election laws to allow a manual process should the biometric system fail.

CORD insists on an electronic system of voting and transmission of results through the Integrated Election Management System as contained in the Election Laws (amendment) Act.

The Opposition is now threatening to go back to street protests to make sure the law is not changed.

Opposition legislators are also planning to disrupt debate on election laws during the special sitting of the National Assembly tomorrow.

Coalition for Reforms and Democracy leader Raila Odinga and his Amani coalition counterpart Musalia Mudavadi have accused the Jubilee administration of plotting to rig next year's General Election.

The leaders have questioned the selection of KPMG consulting firm to audit the voter register.

"No one knows how the firm was selected. This is just a ploy by Jubilee to engage a user-friendly company to conduct the audit so that they can find a way of rigging," Raila charged.

The two have opposed the special sitting of the National Assembly tomorrow, called with the intention of amending the electoral laws, among other pending matters.

"In a move that clearly shows that Jubilee intends to use its incumbency and numbers, Parliament has been recalled to adopt a motley of laws on elections with the ultimate aim of throwing out the negotiated agreement and revert to the old order that allows dead people and underage people to vote, ballot stuffing and manual voting because these favour Jubilee," said Mudavadi during a press conference.

But speaking yesterday in Nyambene in Meru, Deputy President William Ruto asked Opposition leaders to stop intimidating the poll agency and allow it to prepare for the 2017 polls.

He told the Opposition it was better off seeking the support of Kenyans rather than engaging the electoral body in meaningless political theatrics.

The Orange party will also hold a special parliamentary group meeting today to strategise on how to tackle the draft amendments.

ODM Director of Elections Junet Mohamed said MPs will meet at 2.30pm to agree on how to deal with the planned amendments which he described as an affront to the electoral process.