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{
    "id": 1404542,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1404542/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 326,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kikuyu, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "held and directed the panel that existed to complete its work and put a commission in place. However, through the NADCO process, it is worth recognising that reconstituting of an electoral commission is both a legal and political process. Therefore, we sought to agree within the NADCO on how best we can reconstitute the panel that will recruit new commissioners in a way that will generate the confidence of the majority of Kenyans. We may not satisfy everybody in a such a process but we should, at least, have the views and interests of as many Kenyans as possible represented in the recruitment of new IEBC commissioners. For that reason, we sought to expand the panel that will be recruiting the commissioners. This is what this new Bill seeks to do with the proposed amendments. The Bill seeks to increase the number of members of the selection panel from seven to nine. The current panel has seven as provided for in the current Act. We now seek to amend and expand it to nine members. The purpose is to have a broader representation of different interests in the religious circles, professionals and the political class. The new proposed composition of the section panel will be as follows: 1. Two persons nominated by the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC). It is explicitly stated that it will represent the Majority Party or coalition of parties and Minority Party or coalition of parties. That is a departure from the previous provision of the Act that we seek to amend because it was never explicit that it would represent both the Majority and Minority Parties or coalition of parties. It is explicit that the Majority and Minority Parties will be represented by two persons who will be nominated by the Parliamentary Service Commission. 2. Three persons nominated by the Political Parties Liaison committee of whom – (a) one person shall be from a party other than a parliamentary party or coalition of parties. We recognise within NADCO that there are many political parties that are not represented in Parliament. Therefore, they are stakeholders in the electoral process, hence they need to have their interests well represented in the Commission. That is why they have one nominee. A case in point is the parties that are sitting in this House today. In the last Parliament, when a panel was constituted, it largely represented two political parties: Jubilee Party and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) was a newly formed political party without representation in the House. Therefore, it never had an opportunity. However, that did not stop it from moving on to win the elections under the commission that was established by ODM and Jubilee Party. We know that ODM and Jubilee Party were in the process of forming the Azimio Coalition at that time. This time, we are recognizing the fact that even newly formed political parties can move on to become big political parties. Today UDA is the largest political party in the country but it was never represented. If any Hon. Member forms a political party in 2026, or the political parties that are not represented in the House or in the Senate today, and do not even have a single elected member even in the county assemblies, they will have an opportunity to be represented in the selection panel that will midwife the process of recruiting commissioners. (b) One person shall be from a parliamentary party or coalition of parties forming the National Government, (the Majority Party) and; (c) One person shall be from a political party or coalition of parties not forming the National Government (from the minority side). (d) One person shall be nominated by the Law society of Kenya (LSK) as the case was in the Act that we seek to amend. (e) One person shall be nominated by the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK). This is a new provision, recognising the role of professionals. In the wisdom of the NADCO, they appreciated that election results tallying has a lot to do with technology and summation of numbers. Therefore, who is better to represent the interests of people who The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor"
}