CORD alleges unauthorised Senators voted to amend electoral laws

The opposition Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) has accused Senate Speaker Ekwee Ethuro of rigging the House vote in favour of Jubilee to change the Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2015.

The opposition, led by CORD co-principals Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetangula, alleges that Speaker Ethuro, on Thursday, January 5 during a Special Sitting of the Senate, allowed unauthorized Senators to take a vote contrary to the Standing Orders.

On Thursday, Senate voted to uphold the amendments instituted on the electoral laws by the National Assembly re-introducing manual voter identification and transmission of election results in cases where the electronic system fails.

Jubilee argues that there is a need for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to have a voter register back up and an alternative mode of election results transmission. The opposition is in agreement with Jubilee on this but insists that the backup plan should also be electronic, not manual.

CORD argues that the manual voter identification is a ploy by Jubilee and IEBC to rig the election in favour of the incumbent, President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto.

The opposition argued that by allowing unauthorized Senators to take a vote in Senate, the Speaker acted in violation of the Constitution of Kenya 2013 and the Standing Orders and should be held accountable for abuse of office.

However, the Jubilee legislators, led by Senate Majority Leader Kithure Kindiki and Kipchumba Murkomen of Elgeyo Marakwet, dismissed CORD’s argument as unfounded and malicious.

Kindiki said that contrary to CORD claims that the Speaker allowed unauthorized Senators to take a vote, two nominated Senators, Naisula Lesuuda (Jubilee) and Hosea Onchwangi (ODM), were authorised by elected Senators to take a vote on their behalf which is allowed by the House’s Standing Orders.

“Senator Hosea Onchangwi is from Kisii and was appointed by Senator Chris Obure to vote on his behalf,” argued Murkomen.

“On Lesuuda voting, I undertook to verify what was happening and I saw a letter by Samburu Senator, Sammy Leshore, authorizing her to vote.”

Murkomen now accuses Senate Minority Leader, Moses Wetangula, of being openly biased against the opposite gender and the young Senators.

“Wetangula has a problem with gender and age of Senators,” said Murkomen.

The electoral laws debate has now taken a new twist with CORD summoning its leaders and aspirants to a meeting in Nairobi on Wednesday, January 11 at the Bomas of Kenya to chart the next course of action.