Parliament's plan to replace the four IEBC Commissioners who have resigned so far could hit a snag at the moment due to lack of a selection panel.
It has now emerged that Parliament is to revive the process of setting up a recruitment panel for commissioners at the electoral agency to avoid paralysing its work.
The National Assembly’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee, chaired by Baringo North legislator William Cheptumo, announced that it was developing a legal framework to establish a permanent selection panel.
Cheptumo maintained that there was a gap in the electoral agency Act which must be fixed to prevent a crisis at the commission.
"As things stand no commissioner can be recruited because there is no selection panel,” Cheptumo stated.
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IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati blamed Parliament for not putting in place laws to facilitate the replacement of a commissioner in the event of a resignation.
Until the panel is in place, the Commission might have to work with the remaining three commissioners which might jeopardize its work since they lack a quorum to make major decisions.
Kiambu MP Jude Njomo published a Bill proposing that the President, with the approval of the National Assembly, appoint a selection panel consisting of 11 individuals.
On Tuesday, State House spokesperson Manoah Esipisu noted that President Uhuru Kenyatta had not received the resignation letters of Consolata Maina, Margaret Mwachanya, and Paul Kurgat who quit the IEBC.
Esipisu maintained that the President was concerned with other serious issues affecting the country.
The State House Spokesman stated: "Job creation is the reason why President Kenyatta is here in London. IEBC issues are not an emergency."
[caption caption="State House spokesperson Manoah Esipisu"]
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President Kenyatta is supposed to announce a vacancy at the agency within seven days of receiving the commissioners’ resignation but he is not in the country.
