Nairobi — National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwah was set to table a motion on the bi-partisan committee on the reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
In the notice of motion, the joint committee which consists of fourteen members- seven each from the two major coalitions in Parliament-will be required to report back to Parliament in 90 days.
"The Committee shall receive views from experts, members of the public, the business community, civil society, religious groups, political parties, county governments and any other persons on matters relating to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission and the electoral process," it added.
The bi-partisan committee will be required to develop and recommend appropriate mechanisms for the reorganization of the electoral system and processes in the country even as the opposition coalition pushes for four thematic areas including the high cost of living.
Interestingly, the Kenya Kwanza Alliance Coalition has listed Eldas MP Adan Keynan as their representative despite the push from the Azimio Coalition that his name be dropped in good faith.
The Raila Odinga-led coalition has insisted that Keynan belongs to their political fold as he was elected under the Jubilee Party, which is an affiliate party of the Azimio Coalition.
Last week, the Azimio Coalition demanded the expansion of the talks to an extra-parliamentary process naming three non-legislators to join its seven-member team of negotiators.
The coalition's seven-member team led by Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo issued the demand on a day Odinga said the coalition would resist "a Ruto-controlled Parliament."
Amollo insisted that the process cannot be strictly parliamentary citing public participation concerns.
"Our Constitution requires that any engagement involved the public there must be public participation. It [talks] can end up in Parliament but it can't be strictly Parliament. To say that the process is strictly parliamentary is defeatist," he said.
He said the team had appointed Azimio Spokesperson Makau Mutua and Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni as Assisting Counsel. They also named Odinga's attorney Paul Mwangi as joint secretary.
The inclusion of three non-lawmakers in Azimio's team complicates matters with Ruto's Kenya Kwanza Coalition insisting it can not deliberate with 'strangers'.
He also decried what he termed as a lack of readiness and commitment on the part of Kenya Kwanza citing failure to name a co-chairperson.
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"We note the delay in naming the 7-member team and that upto now they have not named their chair leaving us at a loss as to whom to engage," Amollo stated.
Azimio has also set out four thematic areas it wanted to be addressed in the bi-partisan talks including the removal of allied MPs who have expressed support for the government.
The coalition also demanded its involvement in the reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and a forensic audit of the agency's 2022 election servers.
Besides Amollo, other members of the Azimio side who were selected to spearhead the talks include are Ledama Ole Kina, Edwin Sifuna, Enoch Wambua, Amina Mnyanzi, Millie Adhiambo, and David Pkosing.
Kenya Kwanza named Bonny Khalwale, George Murugara, Essy Okenyuri, Mwengi Mutuse, Lydia Haika, Hillary Sigei, and Keynan.
