Ruto, Raila Team Pick 6 To Reconstitute IEBC

The 14-member Bipartisan Committee comprising Azimio la Umoja and Kenya Kwanza Parliamentarians on Wednesday, May 17 tasked six members with discussing the reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

The co-chairperson of the Bipartisan Dialogue Committee, Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo, announced that the team will be divided into three members each from the two coalitions.

Kenya Kwanza Alliance will be represented by Kakamega Senator Boni Kwalwale, Bomet Senator Hillary Sigei and Kibewzi West MP Mwengi Mutuse.

Azimio will, on the other hand, be represented by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua and Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo.

“The IEBC question is a common issue to both teams, we have discussed and agreed that it’s one of the utmost importance and we will prioritize it,” said Amollo.

Tharaka MP George Murugara who doubles up as the bipartisan committee co-chair on his part announced that the team unanimously settled on a hybrid system that will be both inter-parliamentary and extra-parliamentary.

“The hybrid of the two means that these talks will be both parliamentary and extra-parliamentary. We will have parliament recognizing this committee as existing and doing its work as part and parcel of parliament.

"In extra-parliamentary, we will have people who are not parliamentarians coming into the talks and discussing with us issues in contention,” Murugara explained.

The bipartisan talks committee also wrote to Speakers of both Houses seeking recognition of the committee, financial support and exemption of members during the period of talks. 

“Request the Speakers of both Houses to commit to supporting the Committee financially through secondment or recruitment of technical staff and provision of Hansard facilities as the Co-Chairpersons may request from time to time,” read part of the statement by the committee.

The team further updated the nation of positive progress and called for the leadership of both Houses to work together.

“In accordance with Article 103 (1) (B) of the Constitution, Standing Order 258 of the National Assembly and Standing Order 148 of the Senate request the Speakers to grant permission of absence for the Members of the Committee during the pendency of the Bipartisan Talks/Dialogue,” added the statement.

The team returned to talks on Wednesday, May 10 following a week-long standoff in terms of negotiations.

Azimio had given a timeframe of 30 days, but Kenya Kwanza had opposed their timeline for two weeks and tripled it to 90 days before both teams agreed on a favourable timeline.

"As Azimio, we had given a timeframe of 30 days and Kenya Kwanza 90 days. We have however agreed to constrain that time to 60 days, the more urgent issues to be dealt with within the first 30 days," Amollo addressed at the time.

While addressing the press at the Bomas of Kenya, the Bipartisan Committee noted that they were ready to continue with the talks, and would brief the nation if there arose should a need to extend time.

On May 4, Azimio leader Raila Odinga revealed that the coalition had instructed its seven-member team for the bipartisan talks with the Kenya Kwanza government to make it clear that the talks should be concluded in 30 days from the date of commencement.