The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) top electoral officials process of exiting the office was yesterday unanimously agreed upon by the members of the Parliament Joint-Select Committee.
IEBC had been branded unfit by the opposition to contact next year general elections. This led to tragic demonstration along the streets of Nairobi and at the IEBC branch offices, which led to at least four deaths and scores injured as police in-humanly engaged the protesters.
The committee had earlier agreed on putting on hold the push to have new registration instead they agreed to have a higher body thoroughly vet the registration forms.
The Committee agreed to reduce the number of new commissioners to seven. The new commissioners will be employed on full time.
Four of the seven commissioners will be nominated by the Parliamentary Service Commission while the rest will be nominated by the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (Supkem), the Hindu Council and the Evangelical Alliance of Kenyan Bishops.
That committee issued its report on Tuesday, recommending “a dignified and negotiated vacation from office” of the electoral commissioners, and setting out how their replacements will be picked to start preparations for next year’s vote.
Parliament must still vote to approve the report and it will also have to be signed off by Odinga and Kenyatta – all steps seen as formalities as the committee had wide support. The committee also agreed various changes to the electoral laws, including an independent audit of the voter register, another key demand of the opposition.
“We had ten points that we came here to iron out and we finally agreed on the sticky issues today including the sending home of the current IEBC Commissioners,” said the Co Chairman the Parliament Select Committee on IEBC Kiraitu Murungi.
“We believe that our (The Parliament Select Committee) report will address challenges that makes Kenya’s economy unstable during electioneering year for us to enjoy peace and tranquility,” said Murungi at a Nairobi hotel where the team has been meeting.
As part of the reforms, the team also agreed the voters register be cleaned and Kenyans vote electronically in a bid to ensure the process remains free and fair.