Voters queue to vote at Moi Avenue Primary School in Nairobi in 2017 General Election. Members of National Assembly's Justice and Constitutional Affairs Committee on May 23, 2018 started collecting public views on a bill to change the election date. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Parliament has on Wednesday started collecting views from members of the public on a bill seeking to change the date of the General Election from August to December.
While the Constitution requires voters to head to the polls every second Tuesday of August every five years, the Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2018 sponsored by Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa seeks to change the election date to the third Monday of December every fifth year.
“The amendment seeks to restore the tourism high season and the aspirations of a section of Kenyans who are not able to get time out of their busy schedules to take part in the General Election at their places of preference,” the bill reads.
Talk of returning Kenya to a December General Election has been in the country’s political debate since the adoption of the 2010 Constitution.
Those against the August date argue that it is disruptive, and that the December date, that Kenya had for a long time, was best suited for the country’s system.
“The amendment will also clarify and put to rest all doubts regarding the exact date of the next General Election and the term of the current Parliament.”
The Justice and Legal Affairs Committee on Wednesday started collecting the views of the public in Kisumu, Nairobi and Nakuru, and then proceed to Machakos, Kakamega, and Nyeri and closing the three-day process with Mombasa, Eldoret and Isiolo before heading to Wajir and Turkana on Monday.
The committee will also be seeking views on another bill that seeks to extend the period to achieve the two thirds gender rule to 20 years.
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