MPs vote on Election date as new petition seeks to reduce counties

MPs will this week vote on a proposal to change the election date.

The Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill 2018 by Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa seeks to change the General Election date from the second Tuesday of August every fifth year to the third Monday of December.

At the same time, a man wants the National Assembly to reduce the number of counties to 18 from 47.

Geoffrey Gatimu Njoroge further wants the number of constituencies reduced to 246. Besides the 246 elected MPs, he wants another 54 nominated–three from each of his recommended 18 counties – bringing the total number of MPs to 300 from the current 349.

Prime minister

The petitioner also wants the positions of prime minister and two deputies, both appointed by the president, introduced.

He further wants the president to appoint 24 Cabinet secretaries from Parliament.

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi last Thursday said the President would determine whether to subject the Bill to a referendum once it gets the backing of at least 233 MPs. “I wish to notify the House that the question for Second Reading of that particular Bill shall be put on Wednesday afternoon,” said Muturi.

“Should 233 members vote in support of the motion for Second Reading of the Bill, the House Business Committee will thereafter schedule the Bill for consideration in Committee of the Whole House and Third Reading, which will be undertaken at later sittings,” he told the House.

He said the role of the Houses of Parliament was to exercise their legislative authority by passing the Bill to amend the Constitution. Muturi explained, “Once passed in both Housesand forwarded to the President for assent, it is upon the presidency to determine whether such a Bill relates to matters under Article 255.”

Last opportunity

The Speaker said should the motion fail to garner the required numbers but the result satisfies the requirements of Standing Order 62 (2), he would provide another and last opportunity for the House to vote on the matter.

“A Motion under paragraph (1) shall be disposed of…by the House within seven days of a member giving notice under Standing Order 47 (Notices of Motions), and if not, such motion shall be deemed to have been withdrawn and shall not be moved again in the same session, except with the leave of the Speaker,” states section two of Standing Order 62.