MPs get two more weeks to choose parties

Changes in Act will now also ensure that life of current Parliament will end on January 14

By VITALIS KIMUTAI

NAIROBI, KENYA: MPs have extended to  January 18 the deadline within which they can cling onto the political parties that sponsored them to Parliament even though they have technically shifted to other parties.

Parliament yesterday afternoon passed an amendment setting the limit for submission of party lists to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to 45 days before the General Election, slated for March 4, next year.

Effectively, the same deadline has been set for candidates for the various elective posts to submit their nomination papers to IEBC.

The January 4 deadline, which MPs were required to have resigned from their current political parties and joined their preferred ones, has now effectively been pushed forward by another 14 days, giving a new lifeline to party hoppers.

The changes in the Act will now also ensure that the life of the current Parliament will end on January 14, next year, and as such MPs will until then still enjoy the trappings of their office.

Attorney General Githu Muigai proposed the changes to the Elections Act 2012 yesterday under an omnibus Bill — The Statute Law (Miscellaneous) Amendment Bill — which received unanimous backing from legislators. As the law stands, the same is supposed to be effected 60 days before an election is held.

“The reduction of the 60-day period to 45 will coincide with the expiry of the term of the current Parliament,” Githu told the House while moving the proposed amendments.

ODM Chief Whip Jakoyo Midiwo as a result dropped an amendment he was proposing to have the timelines reduced from 60 to 50 days.

IEBC’s objection

Githu told the House that the IEBC had objected to plans to reduce the time for nomination of candidates by parties as the commission wanted it done early enough so it could have enough time to deal with disputes arising from the exercise.

“IEBC strongly feels that there would be logistical challenges, especially as regards the settling of disputes, should the timelines be reduced further than we are proposing,” Githu told Parliament.

The time for political parties to submit lists of assets and liabilities to the Registrar of Political Parties has also been reduced from 90 to 60 days. The MPs have also amended the law that would see the procedures of the Political Appeals Tribunal fall under the Civil Procedure Code from the current Criminal Procedure Code.