Changing polling dates not easy Gitura

Muranga Senator and Senate Deputy Speaker Kembi Gitura has urged Kenyans not to dwell so much on the current debate on changing of the election date  from August to December saying that it is enshrined in the constitution.

Mr. Gitura said that Parliament has no power over changing of the election date due to the provisions stipulated in the Constitution of Kenya 2010, where the members of public hold the rights to set the dates through a referendum.

“Setting the election date has to be decided by the Kenyan citizens, and for that reason it has to undergo a constitution amendment process which calls for a referendum,” said Mr. getura.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), however, has set the next General Elections for August 8th, 2017.

On March 1^st, the National Assembly leaders resolved to push the election date from August as set in the Constitution to December 2017 pending an approval by the House.

The decision was made during the annual retreat of the National Assembly leadership bringing together the Speaker, Majority and Minority leaders, members of the House Business Committee and heads of committees among others.