NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 2 \u2013 The National Assembly has approved a two-week extension for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) selection panel, shifting the deadline from April 28 to May 12. The extension, aimed at allowing the panel sufficient time to complete its mandate, now awaits Senate approval before it can be gazetted.<\/p>\n
The motion, jointly backed by Majority Leader Kimani Ichung\u2019wah and Minority Leader Junet Mohammed, sparked debate, with Junet urging patience and confidence in the process.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s have faith in processes that have been initiated in good faith. This process began at NADCO, where public resources amounting to Sh131 billion were spent, yet it was later discarded,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Junet also downplayed the role of the IEBC in determining election outcomes, asserting that leadership is divinely ordained.<\/p>\n
\u201cIEBC commissions do not produce presidents\u2014we have seen it before. Presidents are chosen by God. Let\u2019s pray for the right leader to be anointed,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
He dismissed concerns over the composition of the selection panel, emphasizing that it includes representatives from key professional bodies across the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s not worry about who will become the chair or commissioners. This panel is inclusive, so let\u2019s give them time to do their work,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Deputy Majority Leader Owen Baya echoed these sentiments, stressing that the panel required more time to ensure a credible selection process.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe IEBC panel needs more time. As Parliament and PSC, we must support them by granting the 14-day extension to ensure a thorough and credible process,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n
He warned that rushing the process could compromise the credibility of the 2027 general election.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we push them to conclude hastily, we risk a flawed outcome. Granting them more time is within the law, and it ensures a better result,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n
Despite Parliament\u2019s approval, opposition leaders have raised concerns over political interference in the selection process.<\/p>\n
Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Narc-Kenya Party Leader Martha Karua, and DAP-Kenya Leader Eugene Wamalwa have accused the government of manipulating the process to its advantage.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will not accept a process shrouded in secrecy and unilateral decisions. The IEBC must be reconstituted through a consultative and transparent approach,\u201d said Karua.<\/p>\n
Musyoka and Wamalwa echoed her sentiments, warning that any attempt to appoint an IEBC chair without broad political consensus would be met with resistance.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will not be arm-twisted into accepting a flawed process. If the government proceeds with a unilateral appointment, it will lack legitimacy,\u201d Musyoka stated.<\/p>\n
The opposition has also accused President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga of using the selection process to serve their own political interests.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ongoing recruitment process is skewed to favour political actors. The IEBC must be independent, not an extension of the ruling party,\u201d Wamalwa said.<\/p>\n
International observers, including the European Union\u2019s Election Follow-up Mission, have urged Kenya to expedite electoral reforms, warning that delays could undermine confidence in the 2027 elections.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 2 \u2013 The National Assembly has approved a two-week extension for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) selection panel, shifting the deadline from April 28 to May 12. The extension, aimed at allowing the panel sufficient time to complete its mandate, now awaits Senate approval before it can be gazetted. The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-112927","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","entry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112927","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=112927"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112927\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=112927"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=112927"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=112927"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}