ODM MP Peter Kaluma has called for changes in the constitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), ahead of the next general election.
He is calling for changes to reduce the maximum number of commissioners to three, down from the current nine, suggesting that the huge number of commissioners is not necessary.
The opposition parliamentarian has also suggested that the three should at the same time serve on part time basis, and should not be in office on permanent basis as is the case at the moment.
For Kaluma, this is among the things the National Dialogue Committee should come up with after its ongoing talks at the Bomas of Kenya.
He says that the other independent institutions should also be looked into and necessary changes made to them.
“The Bomas Talks give us great and timely opportunity to fundamentally reform or disband these “independent” institutions. For example, let’s reduce the number of Commissioners from the current maximum of 9 to a maximum of 3 and make them serve on part-time basis!” he says in a tweet.
Kaluma has also proposed the disbandment of some other commissions, which he believes are not working as intended by those who formed them.
“Useless gender commission NGECKenya should be disbanded. By the way, is NGECKenya aware 2/3 gender rule is dead?” he poses in a separate tweet.
Reconstitution of the IEBC is among the reasons the opposition’s Azimio La Umoja coalition is involved in the Bomas talk, while accusing the former commission of taking part in rigging last year.
Azimio boss Raila Odinga has maintained that he was rigged out, with his coalition seeking inclusion in the creation of the new team, after members of the former one either retired or resigned.
