CIC asked to end row over elections date

Written By:Glena Nyamwaya,    Posted: Mon, Mar 28, 2011

IIEC chairman Issack Hassan

The Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) has called upon the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution (CIC) to intervene in the debate over the date for the 2012 general elections and provide an answer to Kenyans.

Interim Independent Electoral Commission  chairman Issack Hassan said Monday that some sections of the new law contradicted each other over the electoral dates thereby causing the confusion.

On the forthcoming by-elections, he stated that the commission had already exceeded its by-election budget and is seeking 70 million shillings from Treasury in order to conduct them.

Confusion emerged as to whether the general elections will be held in August or December next year.

According to Hassan, the body of the constitution states that the polls are to be conducted on the 2nd Tuesday of August in the fifth year, but this is contradicted by the transitional clauses, which pushes the date to December.

Hassan says the commission is pushing for the enactment of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission bill before the August 27 deadline to provide time to prepare for the forthcoming general election, but pointed out that the IIEC is prepared to take on the job even if elections were to be called today.

Hassan who issued writs for the Ikolomani by-election set for the 23rd of May alongside the Kamukunji one raised concern over the exhaustion of the by-elections budget and urged treasury to expedite the release of  70 million shillings required for the exercise,

Political parties have been asked to conduct their nominations between March 28 and April 21 for the by-elections that will also include four civic ward seats.