THE Parliamentary Select Committee on constitution review yesterday tabled in Parliament a fresh list of the nine people nominated as members of the Interim Independent Electoral Commission. The names include chairman Aliamed Issack Hassan Hussein to replace Cecil Miller, who was rejected by Parliament in February. The post of the chair had to been re-advertised after MPs queried the competence and suitability of Miller as the IIEC chair.
New names in the list also included nominee for Coast province Douglas Mwashigach, who replacl rejected Suleiman Buko and Western nominee Siniiyu Abiud Wasike to replace Charles Masinde. The commissioners, whose names were retained are Kenneth Nyaundi (Nyanza), Davis Churchir (Rift Valley), Tiyah Galgalo (Eastern), Hamra Ibrahim (North Eastern), Winifred Waceke (Central) and Yu-stif.Nzibo for Nairobi. It is now upon Parliament to endorse or reject the names of the IIEC commissioners tabled by PSC Chairman and Mandera Central MP Mohamed Abdikadir. The names are expected to be debated and possibly adopted tomorrow, after which they will be presented to President Kibaki for ratification. While opening the third session of the 10th Parliament on Tuesday, the President cited establishment of the IIEC as the first task for the House. The IIEC will replace the disbanded ECK which bungled the December 2007 elections.
The IIEC shall be responsible for the reform of Kenya’s electoral process. The new team will establish an efficient and effective secretariat and conduct fresh registration of voters, as well as the creation of a new voters’ register. The establishment of the new electoral body was the key recommendation by the Kriegler Commission. Parliament sealed the fate of the ECK last year by voting for the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill 2008 that sought to replace it with an Interim Independent Electoral Commission.
