Bill seeking to change election date fails to sail through

Parliament on Thursday declined to pass the Bill seeking to change the election date from August to December.

The Bill failed to sail through after the number of members of Parliament who supported the Bill fell short of the required threshold.

The National assembly, however, passed the Equalisation Bill that will shift the management of the equalisation fund from counties to the Constituency Development Fund.

Earlier, National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale had appealed to MPs to make themselves available on Thursday to allow the house take a second vote on two constitutional amendment Bills.

Duale said the House Business Committee had slated the debate on the Constitutional Amendment Bill by Ugenya Member of Parliament David Ochieng’ seeking to shift the election date from August to December for Thursday.

Ochieng’ said the election date change is meant to avoid disrupting the budget cycle, the national examination calendar and peak tourism season.

The House also voted on a Bill by Samburu West Member of Parliament Lati Lelelit seeking the transfer of the equalisation fund from counties to be managed by Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

Before MPs went on recess in August, the amendments were defeated due as they were supported by 216 MPs out of the 233 required.

The speaker said he had allowed extra time for voting on the Bills in view of the fact that members have just returned from recess.

The Bill to change the election date got a lifeline after Speaker Justin Muturi allowed it to be reconsidered.

In his remarks after the Bill had been defeated last time, Speaker Muturi quoted several Commonwealth laws and customs in other countries such as the US, to allow the Bill, which had been rejected to be voted for once more for the second reading.

Mr Ochieng’ later wrote to the speaker requesting that the Bill be reconsidered.