IEBC distances itself from dispute over town

The electoral commission has distanced itself from a simmering row between Nyandarua and Laikipia counties over Nyahururu town.

Even though the town is in Laikipia, officials in Nyandarua are laying claim to it.

They say Nyahururu was intially in Nyandarua County before it was allegedly hived off.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has asked the Department of Interior, the Senate and Intergovernmental Technical Relations Committee to resolve the dispute.

Commission chairman Wafula Chebukati said IEBC had no mandate to decide where the town lies.

“The commission does not intervene in inter-county boundaries. We only deal with boundaries of constituencies and wards. The matter can only be solved by the inter-governmental technical committee. We urge leaders from the two counties to use that channel,” Mr Chebukati said.

He said they would review constituency and ward boundaries after the next national census.

“Review of boundaries may only happen once the nation’s current population has been established,” said Chebukati when he called on Nyandarua Governor Francis Kimemia in Ol Kalou.

Mr Kimemia said there was need for open discussions between Nyandarua and neighbouring Laikipia to determine peacefully where Nyahururu town lies.

“We hold the view that such discussions would return the town and its investments to Nyandarua County. Our people built it. Some of our offices and county government staff members are still there,” Kimemia said yesterday.

Nyandarua raises about Sh600 million in revenues each year. The 2009 census showed the town had a population of 596,268 people, of who 292,155 were males.

Meanwhile, Kimemia said IEBC may need to split Kinangop constituency into two owing to its growing population.