12/3/2019
By Jm Musoma
Ukambani might lose it’s legislative strength by a constituency which is key to revenue allocation and infrastructural development if Makueni doesn’t reconsider it’s boundaries.
With only a few months to the National Census that will usher in the a boundary review, residents of Makueni County are not aware of the danger possed by the exercise ahead of 2022.
We risk losing Kilome which is among the protected constituencies in Kenya to other economic blocks that are keen to tap the window of opportunity to attract development.
“A protected consituency is one that doesn’t meet the population quota,which is derived by dividing the total population of the Kenya by the number of electoral units in the country.
According to Chapter 7 of the constitution we should have 47 Counties and 290 constituencies reviewed after every eight years. This also affects the names, boundaries and number of wards.However the threshold should not be more or less than 30% of the population quota in scarcely populated areas but 40% for cities and sparsely populated areas.
To offer an amicuble solution ”The Makueni I Want Movement” has proposed to have the following changes.Makueni Consituency to lose Wote~Nziu and Kikumini~Muvau wards while Mbooni and Kaiti loses Kako~Waia & Ukia~Kilala wards respectively to the proposed Wote Urban Constituency.
This is advised by the new municipality zoning that captures the four wards under one map.Consquently Kaiti shall lose Kee ward to and have the remaing Ilima and Kilungu wards merged with the three wards of Kilome to become one great Constituency.
However Kibwezi East and West must remain as they are but all constituencies are free to increase and rename their wards as may be informed by need and statistics. We can agree to agree or agree to dis-agree but remember IEBC can also decide for us if we can’t forge a united front on conflict of interest.
Delimitation of constituencies and wards is a prerogative of IEBC and an amendment bill by the Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen to have them seek Parliamentary approval before gazetting any new boundaries is misadvice.
The work of independent commisions should not be influenced by interest of parties
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