Big win for Ekuru Aukots referendum push as IEBC verifies 1M signatures threshold

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has verified that Ekuru Aukot’s ‘Punguza Mzigo’ Initiative pushing for a constitutional amendment indeed met the required threshold of at least one million signatures.

The commission, in a statement to newsrooms on Thursday, stated that the initiative – sponsored by Aukot’s Thirdway Alliance Kenya Party – was supported by a total of 1,222,541 registered voters.

IEBC further stated that the Aukot-led party delivered to the commission a draft Constitutional Amendment Bill and details of supporters of the draft Bill both in soft and hard copy on February 28, 2019.

The draft Bill will now be submitted to each of the 47 County Assemblies for consideration within 3 months from the date of submission by the commission.

“Therafter, the Speakers of the respective County Assemblies will submit the decisions of their respective County Assemblies to the Speakers of the National Asembly and the Senate pursuant to Article 257(6) of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010,” read the statement signed by IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati.

The ‘Punguza Mzigo’ initiative seeks for a constitutional review to reduce the burden of cost of governance to the taxpayers.

The signature verification exercise began on May 29, 2019 with IEBC deploying 120 clerks and 12 teams consisting of two supervisors each.