ACE Electoral Knowledge Network

News

• Nov 12, 2009: Kenya MPs snub debate on local tribunal bill, Daily Nation (2009) The bill that is supposed to set up a tribunal to try the perpetrators of last year's post-election violence was not even discussed by the Parliament as only 18 MPs (out of 222) were present.
• Nov 06, 2009: Kenyan leaders fail to sanction tribunal to investigate post-election violence, The Guardian (2009) The prosecutor of the international criminal court will ask for a formal investigation of the post-election violence after failing to secure a deal with the president and prime minister over how to bring the instigators of last year's violence to justice.
• Nov 04, 2009: Kenya:Electoral body clears the way for payment of party funds, Business Daily (2009) Close to 50 registered political parties have inched closer to bagging millions of shillings in Government funds, following the release of guidelines on how the money will be shared out. Isaack Hassan, the Interim Independent Electoral Commission of Kenya chairman, has issued the long-awaited regulations to the Political Parties Act 2007, clearing the legal hurdle that has blocked the release of the funds to the parties for months.
• Nov 04, 2009: Kenya: President to become ceremonial under new constitution, Daily Nation (2009) The President will still be elected directly by the people, but will remain head of State exercising only ceremonial functions. This is one of the key highlights in the final draft of a new constitution worked out by the Committee of Experts.
• Nov 03, 2009: Kenya sets voter registration for December, Daily Nation (2009) Kenya will start to build a new voter register in December in preparation of referendum on a new constitution expected in April next year. According to a progress report prepared by the Interim Independent Electoral Commission, the process will be automated in what is seen as one of the ways to improve the credibility of the voters’ roll.
• Oct 23, 2009: Scramble for constituencies, Daily Nation (2009) “The need to apply the principle of one person, one vote led to the establishment of the Interim Independent Boundaries Commission in accordance with the Kriegler Report,” said President Kibaki.
• Oct 20, 2009: Electoral Laws Review Workshop, IIEC News (2009) The reviewing of the two bills before drafting and presentation to Parliament is an effort in pursuit of Agenda Four of the National Accord of post-2007 elections. It takes into considerations the findings and recommendations of the Independent Review Commission (IRC), better known as Kriegler Commission and the Commission of Inquiry into the Post Election Violence (CIPEV or Waki Commission).
• Oct 19, 2009: Kenyans ‘rearming’ for 2012 poll, BBC News (2009)
• Sep 04, 2009: Press Statement for the Shinyalu and Bomachoge By-Elections Results, IIEC website (2009) Generally, the election was peaceful while the tallying and results were done within a reasonable time. The Commission is of course assessing the lessons learnt from this by election and is also looking forward to receiving reports from observer groups and other stake holders for the overall improvement of the electoral process.
• Aug 26, 2009: Its all systems go for IIEC in landmark elections, Eaststandard (2009) IEC chairman Ahmed Issack Hassan said two returning officers left Nairobi last evening (Tuesday)with the materials ready for the exercise scheduled to start at 6am and close at 6pm.
• Aug 13, 2009: Key reforms needed for smooth elections in 2012, leaders agree, The Standard (2009) The National Conference on Electoral Reforms is seeking solutions to the electoral system, whose process could not withstand the pressure of the 2007 elections.
• Aug 13, 2009: Parties slowing reform agenda, say leaders, The Standard, (2009) "Without discipline in political parties, desire for real democracy and meaningful reforms will remain mere talk,"
• Aug 12, 2009: Talks set to boost Kenya electoral reforms, Daily Nation (2009) This week’s conference seeks to rebuild the public’s confidence in the electoral systems. According to the conference concept paper, it will also identify challenges in the electoral system and policy imperatives for reforms. Another objective will be to identify principles and practices to guide electoral reforms.
• Jul 24, 2009: Radical Bills to seal election loopholes, Daily Nation (2009) The changes proposed in The Electoral Commission Bill (2009) and The Elections Bill (2009) are part of a broader reforms intended to avoid a meltdown similar to that witnessed after the 2007 General Election.
• Apr 15, 2009: Reform team ‘to be ready in time’, Daily Nation (2009) Apart from the reforms which were directly agreed upon during the Serena talks, another package of reforms was proposed by the Waki and Kriegler commissions which investigated the post-election violence and disputed presidential election results respectively
• Feb 17, 2009: Tight race as electoral team candidates are interviewed, The Standard (2009) The race for the chair of the new Interim Independent Electoral Commission has narrowed down to eight.
• Feb 17, 2009: City lawyer to chair new electoral body, Daily Nation (2009) The Parliamentary Select Committee on the Constitution has picked lawyer Cecil Miller as chairman of the Interim Independent Electoral Commission.
• Dec 18, 2008: ECK reforms: Commissioners and 600 staff sent packing, Eastandard (2008) In the historic vote that heralds a new chapter in the reform process, not a single member voted against the Bill, while none abstained during the Second Reading.
• Dec 09, 2008: ODM elections board warns against violence, KBC (2008) The Orange Democratic Movement's National Elections Board is warning party members against engaging in acts of violence during the ongoing grass roots elections. Party supporters have in the past three days engaged in violent protests amid allegations of electoral malpractices.
• Dec 09, 2008: Minister to table Bill on electoral reforms, The Standard (2008) Today (Tuesday 9) could mark a turning point in electoral reforms as Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and Justice minister Martha Karua make a final push for the disbandment of the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) by moving procedural Motions in Parliament.
• Dec 09, 2008: Kenyans cautioned against the disbandment of government institutions, KBC (2008) Kathangu says the move by parliament to disband ECK can only mean that the 2007 elections were flawed and thus they are in office illegally. He has cautioned Kenyans against the disbandment of government institutions such as the ECK and the Judiciary on the basis of their alleged involvement in the controversial 2007 general elections saying they are the center bolt of governance in Kenya.
• Dec 09, 2008: ECK commissioners return equipment, The Standard (2008) Commissioners Hamisi Dena and Pamela Tutui have returned laptops and other equipment, on a day ECK employees threatened to go on hunger strike to protect their jobs once the commission is disbanded.
• Dec 09, 2008: ECK gets stay on State plan to disband it, The Standard (2008) Mr Justice Nyamu agreed with the commissioners and said they had a strong case that touched on the interpretation and upholding of the Constitution. He said that the manner in which the matter was being handled will have an impact on the constitutional job holders who enjoy security of tenure.
• Dec 09, 2008: Elections results not declared, says witness, Nationmedia (2008) Mr Charles Mureithi told the court that events at the Naivasha Municipal Hall where vote-tallying took place denied many voters their democratic rights as the rule of law was not applied.
• Dec 09, 2008: We won’t quit, says ECK team, September, Standard (2008) Krieger called for a radical reform of the ECK and a creation of a new electoral management body with a new name, image and ethos, and committed to administrative excellence in the service of electoral integrity.
• Dec 09, 2008: Split voting areas ahead of law review, Daily Nation (2008) Constituencies with large numbers of voters should be split first before a new constitution is put into place, Mr Kenyatta told a rally at Nairutia shopping centre in Kieni constituency, Nyeri North Distric
• Dec 09, 2008: Pledge to deliver new law, Daily Nation (2008) President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga have declared their commitment to a new constitution.
• Dec 09, 2008: Constitution Bills presented in parliament, KBC 2008 The process towards a new constitution Tuesday moved to parliament following the formal introduction of the Constitution Bills in parliament by Justice minister Martha Karua.
• Dec 09, 2008: No clear winner in poll, says EU report, The Standard (2008) The EU also handed in the report to the main political parties and the Electoral Commission of Kenya.
• Dec 09, 2008: Election petition filed against the South Mugirango postponed yet again, KBC (2008) The hearing of an election petition filed against the South Mugirango MP Omingo Magara was once again postponed after the legislator filed another appeal stating that since he had not been properly served, he had a time limitation preparing for the case.
• Dec 09, 2008: Inquiry into disputed presidential polls begins, KBC (2008) The seven-member Independent Review Committee is discussing the program of its operations at a Nairobi hotel.The seven-member committee has already been gazetted and is expected to commence its work within thirty days for the next three months.
• Dec 09, 2008: Review commission meets ECK officials,KBC (2008) Krieglar said the commission is keenly studying documents available to it with an aim of understanding the magnitude of the crisis that caused the deaths of over 1000 people and displaced about 500,000 others. The committee however toured ECK offices at Anniversary Towers where they held discussions with ECK officials.
• Dec 09, 2008: President appoints commission to probe into disputed election, KBC (2008) President Mwai Kibaki has appointed a Commission of Inquiry to inquire into all aspects of the General Election held on 27th December 2007, with particular emphasis on the Presidential Election.
• Dec 09, 2008: MPs urged to speed up constitution process, KBC (2008) Deputy Prime Minister, Musalia Mudavadi and parliament speaker, Kenneth Marende say the coalition government will ensure that Kenyans have a new constitution within the next one-year. The leaders called for a speedy review and enactment of a new constitution saying it would address some of the thorny issues.
• Dec 09, 2008: ECK ‘ready for by-elections’, Daily Nation (2008) The by-elections will be held on June 11 in five constituencies and 52 wards countrywide.
• Dec 09, 2008: Kenyan political parties spend billions, The Monitor (2008) Major political parties spent about Sh5.6 billion in campaigns for last year’s general election, a new report has revealed.
• Dec 09, 2008: Battle lines drawn in Embakasi by-election, KBC (2008) The Embakasi by-election slated for June 11 alongside four others appears to have set the stage for what yet again promises to be a bruising battle, pitting the country's two political power houses, PNU and ODM. Embakasi constituency has already attracted a massive number of aspirants from PNU and ODM.
• Dec 09, 2008: Political Parties Act to be enacted in July, KBC (2008) Meeting under the chairmanship of President Mwai Kibaki at State House Nairobi, the cabinet advised members of the political parties who constitute the grand coalition government to caucus with their respective parliamentary groups, advise accordingly and come up with an amicable solution to the issue.
• Dec 08, 2008: ECK commissioners return equipment, The Standard (2008) Commissioners Hamisi Dena and Pamela Tutui have returned laptops and other equipment, on a day ECK employees threatened to go on hunger strike to protect their jobs once the commission is disbanded.
• Dec 04, 2008: Delegates meetings not enough, The Standard (2008) The Registrar of Political Parties Lucy Ndung’u warned this week holding National Delegates Conferences (NDCs) is only one of the steps towards full registration. Registered parties are required to seek fresh registration under the new Political Parties Act, which spells out strict requirements
• Dec 04, 2008: State rejects ECK send-off package, Nation (2008) “They will not be thrown out as some politicians are demanding but they will be phased out through a law,” said a government source who did not want to be identified because of the delicate nature of the matter.
• Dec 03, 2008: Treasury seeks Sh400m to send Kivuitu team home, The Standard (2008) The Treasury, The Standard has established, is seeking Sh400 million to send ECK’s 2,000 members of staff home. Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Martha Karua met the Parliamentary Committee on Administration of Justice and Legal Affairs on Monday and it was agreed that the draft Bill on the Kriegler Commission recommendations be split into two and re-drafted.
• Dec 02, 2008: ECK team ‘ready to leave office’, Nation (2008) The commissioners and staff have been holding meetings that continued on Tuesday since they received the draft Bill on their fate.
• Dec 02, 2008: Cabinet verdict: ECK chiefs may be sacked, Nation (2008) The Cabinet also agreed on the need to have a united approach in the implementation of the changes recommended to Kenya’s electoral process due to the importance of electoral reforms in the prosperity of the country