A section of Jubilee Members of Parliament (MPs) has reacted to the statement released on Monday by the United States (US) and the European Union (EU) envoys which condemned the plan to amend electoral laws ahead of the repeat presidential election.
Speaking in Murang'a County while campaigning for President Uhuru Kenyatta, MPs Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu), Joseph Nduati (Gatanga) and Peter Kimari (Mathioya) told the envoys to stop interfering with the operations of the National Assembly vowing to ensure that the laws will be implemented.
"We appreciate their opinion, but that will not deter our push to have the electoral laws amended," Kiharu MP stated.
Mathioya MP also opposed the statement indicating that the amendments would not interfere with the work of IEBC and will only compel its officials to work diligently.
"Telling us to do away with the amendments is joking with the will of Kenyans. We are avoiding a recurrence of the issues that cropped up during the last elections," Kimari stated.
On his part, Gatanga lawmaker condemned the NASA MPs for keeping off the select committee formed to handle the election amendments.
"The sole purpose of Parliament is to make laws that impact positively on the lives of Kenyans," Nduati noted adding that the electoral laws are meant for the prosperity of the entire nation.
The Parliamentarians further told the envoys to stop meddling in local politics in an attempt to solve the stalemate between the two rival parties.
On Monday, a team of ambassadors and high commissioners spoke of their concerns after a meeting with the IEBC leadership headed by chairman Wafula Chebukati, commissioners Consolata Maina, Roselyn Akombe and Paul Kurgat.
They noted that the “Election Laws Amendment Bill" puts at risk the IEBC’s ability to conduct a better election within the mandated 60-day timeline, and unnecessarily increases political tensions.
“It is international best practice not to make changes to electoral laws without broad political agreement," they stated.
The diplomats also threatened sanctions, including travel bans, on political leaders taking hardline positions that may affect the elections.
