By STANDARD TEAM
The provisional list of the 80 new electoral units expected to be gazetted soon continues to elicit reactions.
In Nairobi, Public Health Minister Beth Mugo and Water Assistant Minister Ferdinand Waititu claimed the boundaries commission favoured ODM zones.
Ms Mugo and Mr Waititu said recommendations of the committee should be shelved. Mugo alleged the commission had employed politicians with vested interest.
Elsewhere, Education Minister Sam Ongeri opposed the new boundaries, but several MPs backed them.
Raw deal
Prof Ongeri said Gusii land was given a raw deal as the region was set to get only two new constituencies.
But a section of MPs and voters said Interim Independent Boundaries Review Commission did a good work. Yesterday, MPs Wilfred Machage, Oyugi Magwanga and John Pesa said IIBRC did a commendable work.
"You can’t satisfy every one’s interest. Therefore, our colleagues dissatisfied with IIBRC’s work should wait for their turn," said Dr Machage.
Mr Magwanga and Mr Pesa said IIBRC was given mandate by Parliament and the law solely guided their work.
"Those complaining expected to be favoured, but the formula applied worked against them," claimed Magwanga. He advised the aggrieved to challenge the list in court.
"Why must we always politicise every issue? We should give credit where it is due," said Machage.
Machage and Pesa were happy IIBRC used population formula to arrive at constituencies that merited being split.
IIBRC, they said, went by the national population and then divided the figure by 290 constituencies.
Pesa said the new constituencies would enhance service delivery to the people devoid of hitches.
Stay informed. Subscribe to our newsletter
Meanwhile, Nyanza residents welcomed the creation of ten additional constituencies in Rongo, Kasipul-Kabondo, Rangwe, Migori and Kuria.
ODM Kisumu Town West branch chairman Dave Okwatch urged the MPs to adopt the IIBRC list.
"Let us avoid processes that would drag the implementation," said Okwatch.
Reports by Kepher Otieno, David Ochami and Robert Nyasato
The Standard Group Plc is a
multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper
print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key
influence in matters of national and international interest.
join