Jubilee MPs pass electoral laws in chaotic special sitting

Opposition Cord MPs yesterday walked out of Parliament en-mass after their Jubilee counterparts got them into physical fights in a chaotic session that ended after the ruling coalition single-handedly passed the controversial election laws.

The controversial amendments, which among other things allow the electoral commission to conduct manual voter identification and results transmission in the August 2017 General Election, were passed in record time under the leadership of deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso.

Opposition Cord is, however, expected to challenge the new laws, which are now awaiting President Uhuru Kenyatta’s assent to become law, in court – having failed to get a court order stopping the debate.

Cord had on Tuesday blocked the changes in a chaotic session that ended prematurely, but Speaker Justin Muturi recalled the House for yesterday’s session that succeeded in making the changes.

Chaos began shortly after Mr Muturi was escorted into the debating chamber under heavy security, the media shut out and live transmission of proceedings barred.

After nearly 20 minutes of media blackout, Cord MPs stormed out of the session and addressed a Press conference, claiming they were assaulted by Jubilee MPs who were allowed into the chamber armed with pistols, pepper spray and pen knives.

Tigania East MP Mpuri Aburi is said to have attacked Homa Bay women representative Gladys Wanga and injured Embakasi South lawmaker Irshad Sumra who was bleeding at the time of the news conference.

Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo, who is the deputy leader of Minority is said to have intervened to save Ms Wanga but ended up squaring out with Kipiripiri MP Samuel Gichigi and Mr Aburi sending proceedings into disarray.

Mr Midiwo told the Press that the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) opted to storm out of the chambers to “save our lives from guns that were being aimed at us.”

“I don’t think Jubilee came to debate. We never got to the substance of debate. We will share with you a clip of what is happening since they are not allowing media coverage,” he said.

When Jubilee MPs emerged from the chamber after passing the controversial amendments, Majority Leader Aden Duale accused Cord of causing chaos to disrupt House business. He accused Mr Midiwo of attacking Mr Aburi causing him injuries.

Mr Duale hit out at Cord leader Raila Odinga for using MPs to disrupt House proceedings and plotting to derail next year’s elections.

Senate Minority leader Moses Wetangula described Thursday’s session as “another day of shame and an assault to Kenya’s democracy.

“Today, we have seen police cordon of Parliament and members, including myself, forced to walk amid tight security,” he said as he promised mass action in the new year.

The MPs passed the controversial amendments amid tight security around Parliament with police deploying water cannons.

The lawmakers also amended the Act to remove the requirement for MPs and Members of the County Assemblies to have degrees in order to contest the next poll.

Mr Duale’s amendment pushed the requirement to the 2022 General Election.

The MPs also approved amendments sponsored by Justice and Legal Affairs committee chairman Samuel Chepkonga empowering IEBC to employ an alternative mechanism for identification and transmission of election result in the event of technological failure.

Mr Chepkonga argued that the present reality shows that the commission is not able to work within the proposed legislative timelines.

“With the ongoing structural reforms, including the recruitment and appointment of new commissioners, it is necessary that an alternative mechanism be projected and the House prepares for any likelihood of technical failure,” Mr Chepkonga said.

The MPs also changed the law to reduce to two months from the current eight months the period within which candidates must submit campaign financing bank accounts to IEBC.

They also required independent candidates to submit to IEBC names they intend to use at the polls and symbols.
Earlier on, all entrances to the debating chamber were sealed off by heavily armed security personnel who also directed to switching off of transmission.

No journalist was allowed to enter the Press gallery. The internal television communications broadcasting usually streamed through Parliamentary Broadcasting Unit (BPU) was cut off, making it difficult for journalists to follow proceedings.

The hawk-eyed security personnel stationed in all corners of Parliament arrested NTV Journalist Kenedy Murithi for taking pictures using his mobile phone. He was later released after interrogation and his video recording deleted.