John Ngirachu
27 September 2008
Nairobi — Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka on Saturday called for a review of constituency boundaries in line with population sizes.
Speaking in Kabete where he attended celebrations to mark 100 years since the establishment of Kikuyu Hospital, Mr Musyoka said the reviews would help devolve government.
He added that constituencies with a large population should be made districts to ensure easy administration.
The VP asked Central provincial commissioner Jasper Rugut to make recommendations to Civil Service head Francis Muthaura on areas within the province that could be easily administered as districts.
His sentiments were echoed by Industrialisation assistant minister Ndiritu Muriithi, who said constituencies need to have an equal number of people for effective representation in Parliament.
Mr Muriithi cited Embakasi, which has about 250,000 voters compared to constituencies in North Eastern Province, which have less than 30,000 registered voters.
Mr Muriithi, who is also the Laikipia West MP, said he would lead the push for the review of the boundaries.
Deputy prime minister Uhuru Kenyatta has in the past called for boundaries review saying it is necessary to avoid some of the issues that sparked the post-election violence in January.
Water assistant minister Mwangi Kiunjuri, his East Africa Cooperation counterpart Peter Munya and MPs Silas Muriuki (North Imenti) and Ephraim Maina (Mathira) have also advocated such a drive.
Mr Musyoka's ODM-Kenya party has already declared support for the boundaries review "provided minority interests and geographical concerns are considered."
But Justice minister Martha Karua has said a review of the constitution should come first.
Constituency boundaries were last re-drawn in 1997. Parliament failed to empower the Electoral Commission to review them before the last elections.
The law requires that Parliament votes for new boundaries after every 10 years, while the ECK decides which ones are to be given priority. This has not happened in the past decade.
The push by PNU MPs, especially from Central Kenya, is seen as a move to boost their numbers in Parliament after the 2012 General Election.
At Saturday's meeting, Makadara MP Dick Wathika opposed calls for the removal of ECK boss Samuel Kivuitu. He asked those calling for Mr Kivuitu's removal to instead focus on the implementation of the recommendations of the Kriegler report.
He accused Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who recently asked Mr Kivuitu to resign, of trying to force him out by discussing the matter in public.
Kangundo MP Johnstone Muthama said ODM leaders who called for mass action and made rigging allegations after the December elections need to take responsibility for the killings that followed.
"Even when there is a draw in a boxing match, the defending champion keeps the title," he said.
Mr Musyoka said a reform of the constitution would solve all issues to do with the ECK. He expressed confidence that the proposed constitution would receive the support of Kenyans since it had emerged that devolution, which was one of the contentious issues in the 2005 referendum, had proved to be good as evident in the grand coalition government.
"The only issue Kenyans might have to deal with is whether to go with the presidential or parliamentary system and ODM-K already supports the presidential system," he added.
He challenged church leaders to be more effective in their leadership to avoid violence during elections time.
Kamukunji's Simon Mbugua and Kikuyu's Lewis Nguyai declared their support for Mr Musyoka's bid for the presidency in 2012.
Others who attended the function were Roads assistant minister Lee Kinyanjui, Ferdinand Waititu (Embakasi), Ngugi Kiuna (Molo), Jamleck Kamau (Kigumo) and Peter Mwathi (Limuru).
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