Nairobi — Members of Parliament from Rift Valley have formed a special committee to provide guideline on the proposed creation of new administrative and constituency boundaries in the region.

The seven-member team was mandated to prepare a harmonised memorandum that would address the economic and political interests that have in the past generated into ethnic conflicts whose climax was the post-election violence of early last year.

The final draft of the document would later be presented to interim Independent Boundaries Review Commission.

Rift Valley Parliamentary Group is composed of 49 elected MPs and two nominated ones appointed Mr Isaac Ruto, Mr Mwangi Kiunjuri, Mr Lee Kinyanjui and Mr Josephat Nanok to prepare a harmonised memorandum that would later handed to the Andrew Ligale-led team as the region's common stand.

Others include Professor Margaret Kamar, Mr Joseph Nkaisery and Mr Katoo ole Metito to fine tune the draft documents presented by the PNU and ODM political divide.

The team was established following the acrimony that was witnessed during last Friday meeting in Nakuru when politicians allied to the Orange Democratic Movement and Party of National Unity gave conflicting recommendations to the commission on the proposed creation of new administrative and political units.

Mr Ruto told the Daily Nation in an interview that his team would meet on Thursday at Parliament Building in Nairobi to make their final deliberations on the two party memorandums before making their final submissions.

"We want to build a consensus not just as people of Rift Valley but also put into consideration the interest of other regions so that at the end of the day we are in harmony with the country through dialogue," said the Chepalungu MP.

ODM was pushing for the establishment of a 'hybrid' system of governance that caters for one man one vote as well as one man one kilometre to ensure equitable distribution of resources through devolution and equal representation.

PNU on the other hand wants the creation of new districts/constituencies based on urban, rural and sparsely populated constituencies so as to avoid the gross differentials of constituency populations.

Mr Ruto added that Rift Valley would push for its equal share in parliamentary representation to ensure that they were slotted a third of seats thorough the establishment of 29 more constituencies.

"If we are to reach a compromised position, Rift Valley would push for a minimum of 58 seats in parliament and 70 on the existing 210 constituencies, said the legislator.

He differed with the position taken by former President Daniel arap Moi for objecting the division of Rift Valley arguing that Kanu regime contributed to the historical injustices that the region had witnessed as compared to other provinces.

"Former President (Moi) is not agreeable to creation of new districts/constituencies because they are the smallest units of devolution benefiting from devolved funds such as Constituency Development Fund which during his tenure was not there and that is why we are of the opinion that a cluster of districts should form a province for the purpose of equitable distribution of resources and representation," said Mr Ruto.

The retired Head of State opposed the splitting of the expansive Rift Valley province into smaller administrative units for fear that such issue would inflame frictions in the country's most cosmopolitan region.

In his memorandum presented by one Mr Jonathan Bii of Kanu in Eldoret noted that the boundary review issue was emotive if not carefully handled.

"Dividing Rift Valley into smaller units would bring to the surface ethnic factors which were bound to inflame unnecessary frictions and ethnic harmony was better guaranteed if the province remained as a unit rather than fragmenting it," he observed.

Area MPs recommended that Rift Valley should be split to pave way for the creation of South Rift, Central Rift, North Rift and Upper North Rift regions which Mr Moi said its boundaries should not be tampered with because it was a home to majority of Kenyan Communities.

"The review of boundaries should take into account the basic principles of population, geographical factors, community interests and resource distribution," said the former President.

He added that the creation of new administrative units "was acceptable so long as constituencies were not being used as the sole reason to create new districts."

Former Member of Parliament for Keiyo South Nicholas Biwott in his capacity as Vision Party leader also opposed the proposed division of the province and rooted for hybrid style of one-man-one-vote and one-man-one-kilometre.

"Consideration must be given to geographical, communications and community cohesion along with other factors when addressing the issue of boundaries," said the former powerful cabinet Minister during Kanu regime under President Moi.

He said it was impossible for the entire country to be homogeneous geographically, population density arguing that the existing constituencies should be maintained for stability unless the sub-provinces recently created were reconstituted afresh in consultation with local communities.

Mr Biwott termed special communities that have been marginalized in terms of distribution of resources and lack of representation as in need of special consideration such as the Sabaot of Mount Elgon which he proposed should be allowed to join Rift Valley.

According to majority of the Rift Valley MPs, including Cabinet Ministers led by Mr William Ruto, William ole Ntimama, Henry Kosgei and Professor Hellen Sambili, they were in agreement that additional constituencies should be established.

Their memorandum proposed that 29 more constituencies/districts should be created to match the region's population and land mass.

They recommended that a constitutional amendment should be made to provide for a hybrid system of governance (one man one vote and one man one kilometre) to ensure that the region gets 28.6 per cent of the total constituencies envisaged to be created and the existing ones.

"As a province at independence, Rift Valley had 13 out of 41 districts which reasonably represented a fair share based on its land mass and population which both equals 31.7 per cent but this has significantly distorted und