CORD has now suspended forthwith all anti-IEBC demos to pave way for talks on resolving the standoff over the electoral body. A statement signed by cord management committee James Orengo Says major sticking issues with the ruling Jubilee have been resolved. The statement further says there is an overwhelming likelihood of a bipartisan motion to trigger off the process of dialogue over the IEBC. Orengo in the statement says that the motion for the formation of a select committee to tackle the issue can now be tabled in parliament as early as Tuesday this week. Cord is now looking forward to the establishment of a joint select committee with the full weight of both coalitions. The release of the statement came on a day when deputy president said he was optimistic that the much sought dialogue between the government and opposition over the IEBC standoff would kick off in a few days time. Ruto had expressed hope that the few sticky issues dividing the two sides would be ironed out by tomorrow.
Cord and Jubilee coalitions have finalized the list of their teams to kick start talks on plans to reform the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission - IEBC. Credible sources say the ruling Jubilee coalition has dropped MPs Moses Kuria, Cecile Mbarire, Soipan Tuya and nominated senator Fatuma Dullo from its initial list of members.
United States of America and United Kingdom on Thursday welcomed an agreement by Jubilee and Cord coalitions on positive steps towards resolving the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) impasse.
Committee of Parliament is exclusively on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and electoral reforms. The rules of engagement for the committee, expected to conclude its work within 30 days, include resolutions being made through two-thirds vote in matters where there is no consensus. The teams have resolved that the committee, to be co-chaired by both sides, will have 14 members and each side will nominate seven representatives. Parliament will provide the secretariat to serve the committee, but each side will also nominate two rapporteurs backed by experts. Prior to the tabling in Parliament of the bill arising from the deliberations, sources said it had been agreed that the leadership of the two coalitions -Uhuru and Raila- will issue a statement rallying their members to support the proposed law in the House. The proposal is apparently informed by the fact that the two, as they are not Members of Parliament, cannot contribute from the House, unlike what then President Kibaki and Raila did in 2008 when they attended a special sitting to lobby their troops to pass the National Accord. The compromise position for Uhuru and Raila to issue a statement on the bill could be what Senator James Orengo was alluding to when he said the major outstanding issue of having the two give approval to the resolution of the select committee had been ironed out. Jubilee and cord coalitions have formally cleared the last hurdle on talks on IEBC by agreeing to the structure and the scope of a team to probe the conduct of the independent electoral and boundaries commission.
United States of America and United Kingdom on Thursday welcomed an agreement by Jubilee and Cord coalitions on positive steps towards resolving the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) impasse. On Wednesday the two coalitions agreed on the motion to establish a Parliamentary Joint Select Committee on matters relating to the electoral body. “We welcome Wednesday’s agreement between Jubilee and the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy on the motion to establish a Parliamentary Joint Select Committee on matters relating to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC),” reads a joint statement signed by the two Envoy.We encourage the parties to continue their good faith negotiations. Kenyan public confidence in the electoral institutions and process is essential for free, fair, peaceful, and credible elections in August 2017.” CORD has already named the seven-man team that will dialogue with Jubilee on electoral reforms The seven will represent the Opposition in a 14-member special parliamentary committee that will investigate claims of misconduct against electoral commissioners.
Those named were MPs Hellen Sambili (Mogotio), Eseli Simiyu (Tongaren), Junet Mohamed (Suna East) and Mishi Mboko (Mombasa Woman Representative). Others are Senators Mutula Kilonzo Jnr (Makueni), James Orengo (Siaya) and Johnstone Muthama (Machakos). Ms Sambili, a Kanu MP, was included following calls by the party to disband the electoral agency. Kanu Secretary General Nick Salat had even joined CORD leaders in the anti-Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission rallies. The Jubilee side is understood to have dropped four of the initial 11 MPs named to the negotiating team. A source said MPs Moses Kuria (Gatundu South), Cecily Mbarire (Runyenjes), Soipan Tuya (Narok Woman Represenative) and Fatuma Dullo (Nominated Senator) will leave the team. However, the final list will be confirmed today after a meeting of senior Jubilee leaders.
It is understood some leaders still want Mr Kuria in the team. While Kuria is said to have been eliminated due to concerns over his recent hate speech case, Ms Mbarire was removed on grounds that she comes from the same region as Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi, who is leading the talks on the Jubilee side. "Other than Nairobi, all other regions in the former provinces are represented in the list. We need to take care of regional and gender balance. The list is a fair representation of who is going to represent the Jubilee side," said a well-placed source familiar with the ongoing haggling. With the dropping of the four names, those who will represent Jubilee are Kiraitu, Senators Kipchumba Murkomen (Elgeyo Marakwet) and Beatrice Elachi (Nominated). Others are MPs Jimmy Angwenyi (Kitutu Chache North), Benjamin Washiali (Mumias East), Naomi Shaban (Taveta) and Mohammud Mohammed (Mandera West). Yesterday, CORD announced its team at a press conference in Nairobi at which it also gave details of the terms of reference for the committee and the expected outcomes.motion for the formation of the joint committee is expected in the House today. Once established, the committee will receive views from the public, experts, religious groups and county governments, among other interested groups, and is expected to conclude its work within 30 days Based on the findings, the committee will prepare a report and a draft bill(s) to be tabled in Parliament.
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