By Jeff Mosoku for SMG
Talks between the electoral agency and presidential candidates were suspended on Wednesday after the Opposition said they could not proceed in light of Jubilee’s push to change electoral laws. The meeting to bridge the rift over the October 26 presidential repeat poll stalled after the National Super Alliance (NASA) said whatever they were discussing was futile following the drafting of a bill sponsored by Jubilee seeking to amend electoral laws.
NASA insisted the talks could not proceed as the proposed changes would fundamentally affect the issues that were part of the consultative meeting. Consequently, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) resolved with Jubilee and NASA representatives to begin the talks on Thursday with the amendments being part of their agenda. “We have resolved to postpone this meeting until tomorrow (today) at 10am so that the bill can be part of the agenda,” said IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati.
Jubilee is expected to table the bill that seeks to introduce radical changes to the electoral laws with less than a month to the polls. This is after the ruling party used its numerical strength to push a procedural motion to have a sitting this morning for the introduction of the bill. Some of the changes Jubilee is seeking to make include entrenching manual transmission of election results as the primary means, while the electronic transmission will be in place for backup purposes. The ruling coalition also wants to include a clause in the law that will make it mandatory for the Supreme Court to order a ballot recount in the event of a presidential poll petition.
NASA secretariat Chief Executive Norman Magaya said in a tweet shortly after leaving Bomas, the venue of the talks: “It’s a golden rule of the thumb: You can’t change rules of the game at half time. This impunity by Jubilee will be fervently resisted & defeated.” It highlighted the hardline positions the parties are adopting.
The NASA team was led by Siaya Senator James Orengo, lawyer Paul Mwangi and Magaya, while Jubilee was led by Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen, Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju and chief presidential agent Davis Chirchir.
concerned Kenyan says
What’s wrong with vote recount? Raila is not interested in election. ….., No NUSU MKATE baby doll. Bondo express. Time is up for dirty games.
nyakundi says
Concerned Kenyan why is jubilee talking of manual and its a digital government
We should use the laws which were in place that governed past election
Hatutaki hii wizi tena
solomon says
A desperate gov’t will even clutch on a serpent to survive.
Learning something says
He who watches over israel neither slumber nor sleep and he is the one watch over kenya. God knows the evil plans of jubilee.
Anonymous says
The forest has changed to animal- monkey n vis-avis
Anonymous says
Jublee is the forest n at the same monkey.watch our carefuly kenyans
Fwo says
Never , never & never change any law as patterns elections. These jubilee fellows , have gone berserk. Erreeeeeer, God save Kenya .
Zea says
the world is changing rapidly, in 2013 they said we are moving digital now they want us to go back to mannual.then why purchase all those kiems? they would have used the money to construct stadias.
Anonymous says
hauge is beckoning injustice ,inhumanity crimes I.E murder of msando n many others must be revisited by the ICC n uhunyez must rot in the gallows .he never won 2013 neither 2017 .just but a bloody knee come put common criminal a thief unscrupilous to be precise , a corrupted misfit. ,hate begets hatocracy
Joe Mwangi says
Am really sympathizing with my jubilee but all the same now my vote automatically switch to nasa. And no further explanation.
Fwo says
Yaani , jubilee are taking us back to the old days surely !! Polite request to patriotic Kenyans -vote out these fellows or we are doomed. Nyayo HSE chambers , Nyati HSE chambers etc tena and yet we are supposed to be moving ahead.
Anonymous says
It always excites Nasa supporters when ever there is a stalemate. The easy part which Nasa always plays out is disruption, and they wonder why Railais unelectable.