Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale says outgoing Independent Electoral and Boundaries (IEBC) commissioners should be paid their dues to pave way for a credible elections process come 2017.
Dr Khalwale who is also Ford-K deputy party leader said giving the Ahmed Issack Hassan led team whatever send-off package they are demanding for will guarantee Kenyans not only peaceful polls but an exercise that is free and fair.
"Kenyans must know that what is paid for anything depends on what you think is the value of what you are paying, in this case we shall be paying for a level playground and peaceful elections."
According to him, it would alright to even pay the commissioner Sh50 million each if need be for the sake of making things move in the right direction.
However, Khalwale challenged the embattled commissioners to honorably exit office as their send off-package is arranged.
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"We have more senior government officers whose retirement packages are paid between six months and two years after they have left and the IEBC Commissioners case is not therefore exceptional," the lawmaker told journalists on Friday.
He dismissed assertions that the commissioners may opt to keep their positions in case ongoing talks in regard to their impending exit hit a brick wall.
The electoral commissioners were expected to meet government officials Friday to agree on their send-off package despite a myriad of challenges facing the electoral agency at the moment.
Earlier, Funyula MP Paul Otuoma termed as unrealistic the strict deadlines ahead of next year's general elections and want it reviewed.
Speaking to journalists in Kakamega, Otuoma who was recently reinstated by ODM leader Raila Odinga as the party vice chairman ruled out the possibility of having the polls on August 2017 as stipulated in the constitution.
"We need to sit down as lawmakers, sacrifice our interests and agree on the way forward as a nation in order to do things right," he told journalists in Kakamega town.
The legislator cited a sendoff package stalemate between the IEBC commissioners who are supposed to vacate office by Saturday (October 1, 2016), parliament, Treasury and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) as one of the issues that could mess up the elections arrangements.
He said the current confusion that mar preparations for the 2017 elections require enough time to be addressed conclusively.
"Remember the law stipulates that new commissioners will consult political outfits and all stakeholders in order to discuss and procure election materials eight months before the elections date yet this has not happened to date," argued Otuoma.
According to him, such arrangements should have taken place much earlier so that the election materials are bought and distributed in the field at least six months before the election to ascertain their suitability.
He said going by the confusion that has marred the whole process, Kenyans must be prepared to make sacrifices in the interest of having credible election process after proper planning is done.
Reacting on party hoping matter and push to have rebel legislators seek fresh mandate, Otuoma said political parties should let the electorate discipline the affected MPs.
"Since it is not easy to say whether the MPs have quit their parties for real because they have not done so in writing, it is better to let the electorate decide other than parties seeking to take action," he said.
