Jubilee, CORD agree to ensure electoral reforms report passes

Jubilee and the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) have agreed to work together to ensure the electoral reforms report is passed when tabled before Parliament.

In a statement to media houses after receiving the report on Thursday, President Uhuru Kenyatta thanked members of the Committee for their exemplary work delivered against a background of tight deadlines and the by-partisan approach they took to addressing matters related to IEBC.

President Kenyatta urged Parliament to expeditiously consider the report in accordance with Parliamentary procedures and practice.

He stated that the process of recruitment and appointment of new commissioners should commence urgently to ensure that the 8 August 2017 General Elections are conducted on schedule by a polls body that enjoys broad confidence of Kenyans.

This comes just a day after CORD leader Raila Odinga endorsed the report prepared after a month-long process of collecting recommendations from religious leaders, non-governmental organizations, independent institutions and the public on electoral reforms.

In his address on Wednesday, Odinga said that “he could live with the report” in its current state saying he had to soften his stand on the matter for the sake of Kenyans.

Odinga had also urged legislators from both the National Assembly and the Senate to support the Bill when it is tabled before the Houses.

And in a followup address on Thursday, National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale echoed Raila’s sentiments by calling on legislators to pass the Bill.

“We want to assure the county that our coalition supports the process and the product. We hope out colleagues in the two Houses will treat the Bill in a special way,” said Duale.

“The process and product of the joint select committee has demonstrated to all and sundry that we can resolve our issues in a sober manner away from the streets.”

Senator Majority leader Kithure Kindiki and Minority leader Moses Wetangula urged both Houses to debate the report soberly and ensure it passes.

“We are all satisfied that the committee has done a good job to help the country lower temperatures and return to the path of normalcy,” said Wetangula.

‘I want to assure the country that CORD is fully behind the report and call on members in both Houses to debate it soberly and ensure the work that has gone into it is not futile.”

Kindiki, in his address said that the select committee process indicates the benefits that would be realised if dialogue was embraced in seeking political resolutions.

The report will be tabled in the Senate Thursday afternoon.