By COUNTY DIARY.
As we gear towards an historical moment of Constitution amendment just as I categorically said during the approval debate of the Constitution amendment bill 2020 by Kitui County Assembly I add my voice to others calling for creation of additional Constituencies in Kitui County
Whereas Article 89(1) of our Constitution provides for two hundred and ninety Constituencies it is well thought by the BBI taskforce to seek amendment to this section and pave way for creation of additional seventy Constituencies
However i fault the taskforce recommendation in the second schedule of the Constitution amendment bill 2020 which directs on the manner of delimitation in respect of the additional Constituencies
Article 89(2) of our Constitution vests the authority on delimitation and review of Constituency boundaries with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission* and not a task force
In review of the Constituency boundaries IEBC is guided by Article 89(5) to observe a population quota this by dividing the total population by the number of Constituencies in this case three hundred and sixty.
However in Article 89(6) the Constitution provides for deviation from this quota by less than forty percent in areas sparsely populated like Kitui County
Taking into account other factors of Geographical features and means of communication as provided in 89(5) Kitui County deserves atleast two extra Constituencies
I urge our Members of Parliament to push for deleting of this second schedule to allow IEBC carry out its Constitutional mandate but again for now refrain from pin pointing on where these extra Constituencies should go until IEBC consults all interested parties.
Kitui Minority leader ALEX NGANGA.