MPs adjourn debate on IEBC report

The National Assembly was forced to adjourn the debate on the IEBC reformation report with the Speaker of the National Assembly deferring the debate to a further date.

MPs had removed the section which bars aspirants from moving to other parties after losing out in party nominations.

At the beginning of the Wednesday afternoon session, the MPs had rejected attempts to adjourn the debate on the report as proposed by Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba together with his Kisumu Town West counterpart Olago Aluoch after disagreeing on the amendments to be made.

This changed after the MPs took a vote which allowed them to debate the Bill leading to the amendment.

Earlier, the Senate had unanimously adopted the report with majority of the Senators expressing their support.

Among the proposals in the report is the removal of the current IEBC commissioners and the appointment of a nine-member selection panel to pick new commissioners.

The report also calls for the appointment of a seven commissioners by September 30 to prepare and handle the 2017 elections.

If passed, the report will also ensure the cleaning of the current voter register and the adoption of an electronic system of result transmission.