Kenya at crossroads over election date

Written By:Lillian Mwendo/Carol Karimi,    Posted: Sat, Feb 11, 2012

Leaders have urged the two principals to end the anxiety by announcing when the polls will be held Calls for a decision on the election date intensify from all quarters with leaders urging the two principals to be bold and tell Kenyans when they shall dissolve the coalition government. Everyone now seems to agree with a December date with the IEBC having officially requested the two principals to bring to end the coalition government by October in a letter presented to the two Friday. But justice minister Mutula Kilonzo advises the two principals to ignore the letter by IEBC and let parliament decide a long term solution to the election through the constitutional amendment bill 2011. A cross section of MPs are now supporting Mutula's call saying that the country should not be held at ransom by the principals in matters touching on election. The bill which seeks to bring to an end speculation on the election date besides addressing the gender equation and creating the 80 constitutions is expected in parliament before the end of the month. Leaders who accompanied Prime Minister Raila Odinga for a political rally in Lamu put him to task over the raging election date debate. This comes as a group of leaders affiliated to PNU supporting Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo suggest that a constitutional amendment to set the December date is the best option a move they claim has been endorsed by the cabinet. In Embu, Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi has disclosed that a recent Cabinet meeting had settled on Dec. 17 as the date for the impending general elections. He said the date was agreed on in the presence of the two principals and the matter should not raise any eye brows. Kiratu who is also the PNU secretary general said president Kibaki should therefore make the date public since he will not be in the race. His sentiments were echoed by two Embu County mps Emilio Kathuri and Lenny Kivuti who said Kibaki was the right person to declare the date since his coalition partner Raila Odinga was a presidential contender. The legislators were speaking at the launch of the County PNU-Alliance Party recruitment drive this on Saturday. Kiraitu said any candidate whom will not vie with the PNU alliance will not get any support from the region. He said the region will this time focus on their interest and will only go for those who will who will declare support for the region. "Politics is fight for resources and therefore we must go for the people who will open up jobs for our youths, advance education agendas and develop the region agriculture potential" Kiraitu said.