IEBC officials inspect ballot boxes. FILE PHOTO | SAMUEL KARANJA
What you need to know:
President says new commissioners should assume office within the agreed constitutional and statutory timelines to oversee the elections.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday received the report of the Joint Parliamentary Select Committee on reforming the electoral commission.
National Assembly and Senate majority and minority leaders also received the report on Thursday at Parliament.
President Kenyatta urged Parliament to expeditiously consider the report in accordance with parliamentary procedures and practice after receiving the report at State House, Nairobi.
He said the process of recruiting and appointing of new commissioners for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) should commence as soon as possible to ensure that the August 8, 2017 polls are conducted on schedule by a body that enjoys the confidence of Kenyans.
He said the new commissioners should assume office within the agreed constitutional and statutory timelines so they can deliver free, fair and credible elections.
President Kenyatta thanked members of the committee for their work that was done against a background of tight deadlines.
He also commended the members for their by-partisan approach to addressing all matters relating to the IEBC.
The President noted that the report was the product of consensus and called on lawmakers to apply the same spirit in addressing all matters of national importance.
