House to hold special sitting to approve IEBC commissioners

National Assembly Majority Leader, Aden Duale, now says that Parliament will be recalled for a special sitting on December 20, 2016 to approve names of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioners.

Speaking during a function themed “List of 5000 women aspirants” in Nairobi, Duale said the special session will see the August House among other things pass the names of the new IEBC commissioners whose names, he says, will be ready by then.

The IEBC Selection Panel has since shortlisted 10 candidates for the post of the chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

According to the Selection Panel, five candidates will be interviewed on Monday, December 19 starting 10:00am while the other five will be interviewed on Tuesday, December 20.

The session will also see the Members of Parliament ratify new commissioners of the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA).

The term of office for the current CRA commissioners expire in December 2016.

CRA is mandated to create a mode that is used to share revenue between the national and county governments.

Duale, who was addressing women in a function aimed at ensuring at least 5,000 women vie in the next General Election, said that Parliament will also put measures that will ensure that foreign countries do not influence the 2017 poll.

Duale said that through the Central Bank of Kenya, the country will also monitor NGOs perceived to be leaning towards any part of the political divide.

“Kenyans should be given a chance to elect their leaders democratically without pressure,” said Duale.

This comes just a day after President Uhuru Kenyatta warned on foreign countries intent on influencing the outcome of next year’s General Election saying that their actions are not welcome.

“There is already money coming in from abroad in the guise of promoting civic education. We don’t want to be told by other countries that they’re teaching civic education – Kenyans know how to vote,” he said.

“Our choice as Kenyans will not be dictated by rhetoric, or foreign powers but by the sovereign will of the people of Kenya,” said the President.