Senator James Orengo: We will miss electoral reform timelines

Co-chairs of IEBC joint parliamentary committee Kiraitu Murungi (right) and James Orengo during their final sitting at a Nairobi hotel. Orengo has warned against delays in implementing the new election laws, saying they require adherence to strict timelines. (PHOTO: BEVERLYNE MUSILI/ STANDARD)

Siaya Senator James Orengo has warned against delays in implementing the new election laws, saying they require adherence to strict timelines.

Mr Orengo and Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi co-chaired a parliamentary committee that championed a negotiated process to appoint new Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioners, and the exit of the current office holders.

Orengo is accusing President Uhuru Kenyatta of contributing to the delays in the implementation process. He said the President took his time before assenting to the Election Laws Amendment Bill 2016 and Election Offences Bill 2016.

He demanded that political parties and stakeholders be involved actively in the process of acquisition of electoral systems to ensure confidence in the August 8, 2017 election and avert a repeat of chaos.

"Parliament resolved that the new IEBC commissioners must be appointed on or before September 30," Orengo said.

In a press release, Orengo said the Government Printer has not published the Election Laws despite the President having assented to it.

"It is instructive that the Government Printer falls under the Office of the President," he said.

He urged President Kenyatta to convene a meeting between the National Treasury, the Attorney General and other relevant agencies to determine the exit package for current IEBC commissioners.

Orengo accused the commissioners of making decisions and setting up systems that ought to strictly await the appointment of new commissioners and the implementation of the new electoral laws.

Orengo said a lot remained undone to fully implement the new laws.

But in a quick rejoinder, Elgeyo Marakwet senator, Kipchumba Murkomen dismissed the claims made by Orengo, saying they were made out of election fever.

Senator Murkomen said electoral reforms are a continuous process and that it is not the responsibility of the office of the president to implement them.

"We actually have institutions for that job. IEBC is well capable of handling elections, the Opposition should not worry. They need to stop all this election fever," said Murkomen.

Murkomen said the responsibility of the President is not to publish laws but to sign them, and that the Jubilee government backed electoral reforms.

"Senator Orengo himself is a legislator. He should have inserted a commitment clause in the law instead of complaining afterwards. Electoral reforms are not an instant thing," he said.