Nairobi — Azimio leader Raila Odinga and his Wiper party counterpart Kalonzo Musyoka on Tuesday witnessed the assent of IEBC Bill 2024 into law at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), KICC.
The law which was signed by President William Ruto expands qualifications for commissioners to include an accounting and Information and Technology Commissioner.
The National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) backed Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Bill 2024 welcomes a new electoral law that will allow the reconstitution of the Commission to enable it carry out its key electoral mandates as stipulated in the constitution.
"The Assent to the IEBC Amendment Bill marks a significant step in the actualization of one of the recommendations of NADCO and the signing of this Bill paves way for the establishment of a selection panel for the appointment of IEBC Commissioners," said Ruto.
IEBC is made up of seven commissioners including a Chief Executive Officer who also acts as the commission secretary, appointed by them.
The commissioners are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Parliament with each member serving a six-year term.
Currently the commission does not have enough commissioners following the lapse of Chairman Wafula Chebukati's tenure and that of commissioners Abdi Guliye and Bola Molu after the 2022 elections.
The Bomas of Kenya events witnessed on August 15, 2022, also led to the resignation of four other commissioners, including Juliana Cherera, who was vice chair at the time.
On his part the Azimio Coalition leader Raila Odinga stressed that the Kenya Kwanza administration should prioritize discussions while tackling the nation's pressing problems, such as the recent youth-led protests against the government.
"I am happy to confirm that we have had consultations and after extensive consultations we have agreed that dialogue is the way forward out of the crisis we are having today in our country .We have agreed that we should give people an opportunity to be heard," he stated.
Odinga urged Kenyans to voice their complaints without holding back in order to find a long-term solution to issues that concern them.
"We want the Dialogue between the government and the youths to be a very engaging conversation so that we deal with fundamental issues affecting our society. They are many but equally solvable! Youths are the majority in our society today and they deserve to be heard," he said.
