House team backs proposal to change Kenya election date

A House committee has backed a recommendation to change the Kenya election date.

The Bill proposed that the Kenya election date be changed from the first Tuesday of August to the third Monday of December.

If it is passed into law, current MPs will increase their terms by 4.5 months.

The financial implications are that the Kenyan taxpayers will have to fund an extra Ksh.1.2billion to keep the 416 lawmakers in office.

The next step involves a debate in Parliament followed by a vote that requires 233 lawmakers to be present.

Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa presented the Bill to Parliament in March this year.

According to him, the current election date in August affects the country’s school calendar.

He added that in case of a run-off, the elections also disrupt the national examinations that are scheduled for the end of the year.

Three years ago, Ugenya MP David Ochieng presented a similar proposal but it flopped as he could not get the required majority support.

More to follow.