Bill seeking to change election date gets second chance

National assembly majority leader Aden Duale has 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 has 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 will also be voting 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.

However, it remains unknown whether Mr Ochieng’ will be able to muster the required support given that his party leader, Mr Raila Odinga, has opposed the change of the election date.

Several constitutional questions also remain unanswered, such as the fate of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioners whose term comes to an end in November 2017, the same year the elections are to be held.

There is also the question of whether a referendum which would be required to change the election date would lead to the extension of the term of the president.

The CORD party has vowed to support the Equalization Fund Bill which seeks to correct the historical injustices in specific counties.

Speaking at Orange House Wednesday, the coalition said they will rally their troupes in Parliament to provide alternative solutions to a myriad of problems facing Kenyans.