Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi now says the delay in the reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) could plunge the country into an electoral crisis.
Mudavadi, who spoke in Malava Constituency, Kakamega County, on Tuesday, May 20, accused a section of opposition leaders of allegedly colluding with proxies through the courts to interfere with the reconstitution process.
While criticising Kenyans opposed to the establishment of the electoral commission, the CS remarked that delaying the process would jeopardise the constitutional timelines for the 2027 polls.
He urged Kenyans with reservations to follow the right channels, adding that Parliament had already issued a notice calling on Kenyans to submit their views on the matter.
“These individuals went to court when the first process was started. They said they wanted a conversation, and subsequently, a dialogue was held. The same people are back in court,” Mudavadi said.
“Individuals seeking these positions were interviewed in broad daylight, and Kenyans watched the Live proceedings on TV. Everything was in public. Kenyans know who performed well and who didn’t perform well,” he added.
According to Mudavadi, there were constituencies and wards in Kenya that had yet to have elective representation for months, and he reiterated that the reconstitution of the new IEBC would quickly fix the challenge.
The CS emphasised that Kenyans in the affected wards and constituencies were being denied their constitutional representation rights through the occasioned delays in the reconstitution of the electoral commission.
“This is a disservice to those Kenyans who need to exercise their democratic right by electing new representatives for their respective areas. We have counties that lost a Senator; those people need that position filled,” the CS reiterated.
He further added, “Let us stop this joke and attributes of satisfying selfish interests at the expense of millions of Kenyans. Let us stop the joke and allow the establishment of the Commission.”
The High Court on Monday, May 19, temporarily halted the planned vetting of the nominees by Parliament for the position of the Chairperson and members of the electoral body, citing alleged legal missteps by the president and the selection panel.
Justice Lawrence Mugambi issued the conservatory order after two private citizens filed an urgent petition questioning the legality of the selection panel, which cleared the Commissioners and the Chairperson.
