We are ready to conduct referendum, which will cost Sh12b: IEBC

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati at a past function. [File, Standard]

The electoral agency has said it is ready to conduct a third referendum should it be required to do so.

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati yesterday told The Standard the commission had yet to be officially appraised of the matter even as different proposals emerged.

“So far the commission has only been notified by various promoters of their intentions to collect signatures and to draft amendment Bills. We have not yet been seized of any referendum documents,” said Mr Chebukati.

And while the IEBC may be ready to take the country through another constitutional change, it is expected to cost taxpayers about Sh12 billion.

Under the law, promoters must collect and submit to the commission at least one million signatures and a draft Bill for the proposed amendments.

“The role of the commission staff with regard to a referendum through a popular initiative is to undertake verification should the threshold be met. The commission and staff are ready if the referendumprocess is called upon,” said Chebukati

Asked if IEBC had the budget for the exercise, the IEBC boss said a referendum was not an activity that was budgeted for in advance because it was not planned. He added that at an opportune time, the commission would request the National Treasury for money to fund the activity.

“As to the issue of how much, we are informed by the cost of the repeat presidential election of October, 26, 2017, which cost Sh12 billion. With a referendum being one election, the cost would be similar or thereabouts,” the chairman added.

The polls body said it has put in place mechanisms to ensure the exercise ran smoothly should referendum promoters meet the threshold.

“Currently, the commission is preparing administrative procedures to complement verification of voters that will result from the ongoing signature-collections by referendum promoters, if and when submitted to the commission,” said Chebukati.

Cold water

Although there are questions about the credibility of IEBC, as currently constituted, to conduct the plebiscite, Chebukati insisted it had what it takes to do the job.  

“The court has also expressed itself on the matter, including quorum. In any case it’s not the commission to appoint commissioners but other agencies, with Parliament tasked with coming up with regulations on the exercise,” Chebukati said on the impasse over replacing four commissioners who have quit.  

In August, former vice chairperson Connie Maina and commissioner Margaret Mwachanya sought to reclaim their positions at the IEBC after resigning months earlier. Other commissioners who had quit were Paul Kurgat and Roselyn Akombe.

But Amani National Congress leader Mudavadi yesterday tried to pour cold water on the referendum debate, instead demanding the restructuring of the IEBC.

Speaking at Chigombero Catholic Church, Kanana and Majoreni in Lunga Lunga, Kwale, Mr Mudavadi said the IEBC as constituted could not conduct a credible referendum “as it lacks capacity and trust from the public to carry out the exercise”.

He added: “Even judges found the IEBC to have bungled the August 8 elections and hence wanting. Then how can we trust it with the enormous task of conducting a credible referendum?”

Mudavadi was in Kwale to commission St Stephen’s Catholic Church at Chigombero, three classrooms at Mkono wa Ndugu Primary School, and lay the foundation stone for Mwangwei Secondary School in Majoreni area, Lunga Lunga constituency.

Last week, Opposition leader Raila Odinga told Kenyans to start preparing for a referendum. “The push for a referendum is real and inevitable. Those working to scuttle the process are living in denial. It’s like the croaking of a frog that will not stop the cow from drinking water,” the National Super Alliance leader said.

Mr Odinga said Kenya was ripe for a review, eight years after the promulgation of the Constitution. “I am actually surprised that some people are opposed to constitutional changes. We must hold a referendum to seek people’s views on the quest to change the Constitution.”

A day later, Deputy President William Ruto, who had hitherto dismissed calls for a plebiscite, changed tune and called for the vote on the Constitution.

Mr Ruto, who until Saturday had maintained that the push was motivated by selfish interests, called for the question and date for the referendum.

“We have no problem with the referendum. Our problem is hypocrisy and conmanship; to tell us the referendum was agreed during the handshake, you are lying to us,” he said.

There have been claims that some leaders want to change the supreme law to pave the way for creation of more seats for poll losers, an issue that has irked the DP.

“The process should not be about creating more seats. It should be informed by the public interest. That is why we want those agitating for these changes to sit down and harmonise what should or should not be included in the Constitution,” Ruto said yesterday at St Nicholas AIPCA in Central Imenti constituency.