Thursday, March 22, 2012

Nyanza MPs split over poll date



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SOME Nyanza MPs have differed over that date for the coming general elections. The legislators differences came as Prime Minister Raila Odinga and President Kibaki are expected to meet on date, which has a sharp debate across the country. On Saturday IEBC Chairman Isaack Hassan announced that March 4, 2013 as the election date, a move that drew mixed reactions from MPs and the public.
Yesterday, Immigration Minister Otieno Kajwang’, Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo and  his Rarieda counterpart Nicholas Gumbo differed with Internal Security assistant minister Orwa Ojode over the poll date. They told Ojode, who has backed the March 4 date, that IEBC has no mandate to decide on the date of the coming election.
Kajwang’ said he had read the constitution, adding that it does give the IEBC the authority to fix the date. He said the IEBC boss ought to have given the two principals an opportunity to agree on the date. Midiwo faulted the January 13 court ruling on the date of elections saying it failed to give a clear position on the matter.
Gumbo alleged that the move to have elections conducted in March is “an attempt to keep some people in office beyond the constitutional guarantee.” However, Ojode dismissed their claims and maintained that it was important for the country to respect the court ruling.  “It is unfortunate that even those who are advocating for a December poll date have not made grounds for their re-election,” he said.

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