{"id":123539,"date":"2025-10-22T15:09:39","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T15:09:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/index.php\/2025\/10\/22\/wetangula-assures-british-envoy-of-timely-passage-of-election-laws\/"},"modified":"2025-10-22T15:09:39","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T15:09:39","slug":"wetangula-assures-british-envoy-of-timely-passage-of-election-laws","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wetangula-assures-british-envoy-of-timely-passage-of-election-laws\/","title":{"rendered":"Wetang\u2019ula assures British envoy of timely passage of election laws"},"content":{"rendered":"

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 22 \u2014 National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang\u2019ula has assured that Parliament will swiftly review and pass all election-related bills well ahead of the 2027 General Election to ensure the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is fully prepared for the polls.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Speaking during a meeting with Ed Barnett, the Charg\u00e9 d\u2019Affaires ad interim at the British High Commission, Wetang\u2019ula said Parliament would not allow delays that undermine electoral credibility.<\/p>\n

\u201cElection-related amendments don\u2019t originate from us, but as House leadership, we\u2019ve resolved that within the next two to three months, we\u2019ll be done with them. We cannot be reviewing laws six or seven months to a general election,\u201d the Speaker said.<\/p>\n

He acknowledged that restoring public trust in the IEBC remains a work in progress and urged the new commission to intensify public engagement to dispel fears and rebuild confidence.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe public has high expectations ahead of the upcoming by-elections. The pressure will be immense, but the chairperson and commissioners must remain firm,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

With the constitutional boundary review now out of reach due to time and budgetary limits, Wetang\u2019ula challenged the IEBC to focus on registering millions of unlisted voters to boost participation in 2027.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy not voting, you lose the moral ground to make demands on elected leaders. Let\u2019s respect the sanctity of building a nation and strengthen credibility in our institutions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Barnett revealed that the UK, through its non-state partners, is already supporting the IEBC\u2019s capacity-building efforts, including developing a robust strategic communication plan to enhance transparency, public trust, and timely dissemination of electoral information.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe supported the induction of the new commissioners and will continue to channel our limited resources to strengthen their systems,\u201d the envoy said.<\/p>\n

On governance, the two leaders agreed that implementation of the newly enacted Conflict of Interest Act, 2025, would be a crucial test for anti-corruption agencies. Wetang\u2019ula called on the Judiciary to fast-track corruption cases, saying justice delayed erodes accountability.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Judiciary must reduce the time it takes to conclude cases. Timelines should be set and respected,\u201d he emphasized.<\/p>\n

Their talks also explored ways to transform the UK\u2013Kenya relationship from one defined by aid to one grounded in trade and investment. The Speaker urged London to deepen private-sector engagement and explore new frontiers such as mining, especially with the discovery of rare earth deposits in Kenya.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe UK has been a dependable partner since independence. We now want to build a stronger trade partnership anchored on mutual growth,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Kenya is the UK\u2019s second-largest export destination in Africa, accounting for 27 percent of fresh produce and 56 percent of the black tea sold in the British market.<\/p>\n

However, Wetang\u2019ula raised concern over the UK\u2019s stringent visa regime, which has locked out many Kenyans, including students seeking to pursue higher education abroad.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are many students who wish to study in the UK, but the visa process is too complex. We should leverage our Commonwealth connection to ease this,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Barnett acknowledged the challenge and promised to work with Kenyan institutions to help applicants better navigate the system.<\/p>\n

The British diplomat also conveyed his condolences to Kenyans following the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, hailing the government for according him a dignified farewell.<\/p>\n

Wetang\u2019ula described the late Odinga as a statesman whose legacy of resilience and forgiveness should inspire the nation.<\/p>\n

\u201cRaila never carried grudges. After the fiercest political battles, he always put the country first,\u201d the Speaker reflected.<\/p>\n

The visit came as the nation marked the final day of the official seven-day mourning period for the late Odinga, a revered freedom fighter and Pan-Africanist.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 22 \u2014 National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang\u2019ula has assured that Parliament will swiftly review and pass all election-related bills well ahead of the 2027 General Election to ensure the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is fully prepared for the polls. Speaking during a meeting with Ed Barnett, the Charg\u00e9 d\u2019Affaires ad […]<\/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-123539","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\/123539","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=123539"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123539\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=123539"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=123539"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=123539"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}