Two MPs fault House over adoption of Ligale report

By Peter Orengo

Two MPs have said Parliament went against the stipulations of the new Constitution when it adopted the Ligale Report on boundaries.

Mathira MP Ephraim Maina and Nominated MP Mohamed Affey want the yet to be set up Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) not to base its work on the Interim Independent Boundaries Review Commission’s (IIBRC) findings, saying they are ready to go court on the issue.

"Parliament overstepped its mandate when it adopted the Ligale Report. We expect the new commission that will be set up to work independently to ensure all Kenyans are satisfied," said Mr Maina at a news conference in Nairobi.

Mr Affey claimed beneficiaries of the IIBRC chairman Andrew Ligale adopted the report.

"We bulldozed through Parliament an illegal report. Kenyans should know that adoption is tantamount to gazettment. They should also know that MPs can’t be relied upon by Kenyans to get justice," said the MP.

Parliament on Tuesday evening adopted findings of the defunct boundaries commission in a report recommending they would form the basis of future review of electoral units.

Ignore IIBRC

Some 87 MPs defeated an attempt by Affey seeking to amend the report to compel IEBC to ignore IIBRC’s findings and force the new body to create new definitions for boundaries review once it comes to force. Affey’s amendment was supported by 37 MPs, mainly from PNU.

Maina and Affey were among members who opposed the report arguing the House could not debate it because the matter is in court and that the report was unconstitutional.

Parliament’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee, headed by Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba, prepared the report and tabled it in Parliament.