Speaker Ekwe Ethuro has just made a ruling STOPPING debate of the Election Laws (Amendment) Act 2016 by the senate (whole house) and instead refered it to Senate Legal Affairs committee to review the proposed amendments and also invite members of the public to participate by way of giving views to the committee as required by the constitution.
The Senate Legal Affairs Committtee is chaired by Busia senator Amos Wako (ODM), the speaker ruled that committee starts public hearings immediately.
The ruling by the speaker has pushed the debate on Election Laws (Amendment) Act 2016 to January 4, 2017 effectively allowing the Wako led committee conduct the public hearings.
The proposed changes by Jubilee, significantly alter the Elections Laws (Amendments) Act 2016, have been opposed by Cord leaders and members of the opposition in what to say is an attempt to lay ground for a rigged election.
The contentious election law arose from a negotiated agreement reached between Cord and Jubilee, that ended the anti-IEBC protests.
A Joint Select Committee on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, led by Senators James Orengo (Siaya) and Kiraitu Murungi (Meru), midwifed the law.
Ethuro said the house will recovene on 4th January 2017 to receive and debate the committe findings.
Senator Wako welcomed the ruling of the speaker and promised urgent review by his committee and offered to deliver a report by Tuesday 3rd January 2017 making it ready for debate in the plenary on 4th January.
Senate Minority leader Moses Wetangula however requested the speaker to enjoin Legal Affairs Committee with the ICT committee chaired by Nyeri Senator Mutahi Kagwe since some of the matters raised touched on Technology.
This is a delaying tactic to have opposition postphone the scheduled January 4th mass action announced by CORD Coalition – Lawyer T Moturi told this writer.
