IEBC Commissioners
should
exit office by 30th September 2016, the joint select committee recommended on Tuesday.
Committee co-chairs James Orengo and Kiraitu Murungi said this exit ensures the appointment of new commissioners in time for the 2017 general elections.
"We have a deal on IEBC, specifically
the 10 points we had marked and the related processes to ensure that the 2017 general election is free and fair and we hope the commissioners will remain in office and hand over to the successor team not later than 30th September 2016." Orengo said.
The Siaya Senator further stated that the send off packages for the commissioners would be agreed upon after the committee's report has been presented to the National Assembly and Senate.
"The negotiated settlement must be agreed on within 2 weeks of this committee's report adoption."
Kiraitu also said the change of electoral commissioners would ensure there is
legal, policy and institutional reforms to strengthen IEBC.
He added it would ensure next year's elections are administered in an impartial, efficient, simple, accurate, verifiable, accountable and transparent manner.
The Meru Senator said the joint committee has recommended that the number of commissioners be reduced from 9 to
7 and serve on full time basis.
They further advised that the
roles and responsibilities of commissioners and the secretariat be clearly defined.
The selection panel will be appointed by President and will include five persons from
religious
groups, 4 from the parliamentary service council.
The Public Service Commission will provide four people to serve as secretariats of the panel.
"The process of appointment of new
commissioners
must be fast and after dignified exit of the commissioners to ensure new team that Kenyans will have faith in," he stated.
The committee further recommended the
amendment
of the constitution to allow
commissioners
voluntarily exit of the electoral commissioners.
"We currently do not have a clause that allows commissioners to willingly exit and we have therefore recommended an amendment to allow this," Kiraitu said.
Party nominations
At the same time, the committee also resolved for IEBC to conduct party nominations ahead of next year's elections.
"We will require that parties publish names of all aspirants at least 14 days before nominations to ensure there is no party-hopping after the nomination process," Kiraitu said.
The committee asked the government to ensure the purchase of BRV and BVI kits is done 8 months before the 2017 general elections to allow proper training of IEBC staff.
On the voter register, the committee resolved that there is no need of conducting fresh voter registration as the current register would be cleaned up by a reputable organisation appointed by the electoral commission.
Kiraitu further said that
IEBC will use party registers to conduct nominations which will be availed to the electoral body before the nominations.
On August 8, President Uhuru Kenyatta said IEBC would conduct the nominations to "achieve fairness and transparency on behalf of all parties".
As the committee wrapped up their sessions on Tuesday, National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi warned them to table their report soon, or he would declare it null and void.
The committee had been given 30 days to table the report in Parliament.
This time period elapsed last Thursday but due to technicalities, the committee had until Tuesday to table it.