Members of Parliament from the Jubilee and CORD Coalitions have finally agreed to resolve the stalemate surrounding the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
After a five-hour meeting held on Monday, more than 50 MPs decided to form a parliamentary initiative which would discuss electoral reforms that have been contested by the two parties.
Led by Mukurweini legislator and his Kabando wa Kabando Ugenya counterpart David Ochieng the group said it would also form avenues to receive suggestions from various stakeholders, which would then be introduced in the National Assembly for debate.
“We agreed to form a bi-partisan parliamentary caucus on electoral reforms to commence and fast-track negotiations and dialogue to get legal reforms that would lead to credible elections,” their statement read in part.
The leaders urged for restraint and tolerance as the negotiations began, insisting that any form of agreement would ultimately have to be discussed in Parliament.
Meanwhile, Majority Leader in the National Assembly Aden Duale cast doubt on the agreement since any reforms ought to be pushed through the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee.
“I am yet to receive a brief on the meeting but do not see on what grounds such a cause will be standing. I fully support a parliamentary process and it is the Chepkonga led-committee that has the legal binding,” stated Duale.
This comes after the Opposition gave a 10-day ultimatum to the government regarding structured dialogue on the IEBC stalemate. CORD threatened to resume the Monday protests against the electoral body if the government failed to heed the calls for dialogue.