By Tajeu Shadrack Nkapapa
President William Ruto has assented to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
After signing the Bill at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) the President said that it would pave the way for the establishment of the selection panel to appoint IEBC officials.
“The signing of this bill paves the way for the establishment of the selection panel for appointment of IEBC commissioners. The IEBC remains a cornerstone of our democracy responsible for overseeing regular elections at various levels and ensuring that our electoral cycle is managed transparently and administered in an impartial neutral, efficient, accurate and accountable manner,” President Ruto said.
He further concurred with the rest of the leaders who said that IEBC officials must be led by professionalism and Integrity as part of their cardinal principles.
As he signed the IEBC Bill into law, President William Ruto strongly recommended that there is a desire for a national dialogue on how to solve the problems facing Kenya as a nation.
“As a way of charting the future from the current situation we are facing, I welcome all the leaders here and all other stakeholders working together for us, to address the current economic situation through a broad-based political arrangement and to rally the country forward,” Dr. Ruto said.
The Majority leader in the National Assembly also supported the assent of the Bill and emphasized the process to be a result of national dialogue.
“This assent of this Bill not only marks a hallmark in our nation’s endeavour to reconstitute a new IEBC but also buttresses the importance of dialogue in our country because this Bill emanated from a process where we all came as a country to dialogue and through dialogue we have been able to surmount most of the challenges that faced our country from the time we came to gather as NADCO,” Kimani Ichung’wa said at KICC.
The Deputy President also urged the youths to keep off the streets and allow a national dialogue to take place as accepted and directed by the President.
“Now that the president has called upon discussion with the young people of Kenya and all leaders, we call upon the people of Kenya to give dialogue a chance,” the DP said in his address.
The approval of the IEBC Amendment Bill, the initial bill out of nine proposed by the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO), showcases Kenya’s determination and dedication to overcoming obstacles through constructive conversations.
According to the President, the assent of the IEBC amendment bill marks a significant step in the actualization of one of the recommendations of NADCO and testifies to the country’s ability to navigate difficult, complex and sometimes divisive issues that could undermine national cohesion, stability and security, if left unattended.