Let political parties elect lawmakers, says Speaker Muturi
Hillary Mageka and Anthony Mwangi
National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has proposed that Members of Parliament be elected by political parties instead of direct voting by citizens.
This might be a tough choice in a country with weak party structures.
Muturi, who appeared before the 14-member Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) taskforce in his personal capacity, also proposed that the direct election of the president, his deputy, governors and their deputies be abolished.
In its place, he is proposing that the popular will of the people manifested through one-man-one vote be actuated through the nomination of the president by the political party that garners majority votes at the general election as in the case of South Africa.
“Voters at a general election should vote for a party that best captures their aspirations.
This would help entrench a new dispensation of politics of ideas rather than politics of ethnic mobilisation,” Muturi told the committee chaired by Garissa Senator Yusuf Haji.
He noted that a political party that garners the second highest number of votes in a general election should automatically become the official opposition party with its leader assuming the role of leader of official opposition in the National Assembly.
Muturi is also pushing for the removal of constituency boundaries, with Kenyans only voting for parties and each MP representing between 150,000 and 200,000 people.
For instance, he cited the odd case of Ruiru constituency where an MP represents close to 500,000 residents having the same voting power with the Lamu East lawmaker with 100,000 residents.
“I propose that by whatever formula, the membership of the National Assembly should be such that each member represents not more than 200,000 residents, while reflecting ethnic population proportions, cities and urban areas, geographical features, historical and economic factors, marginalised groups and minorities,”he said.
Submit list
As a primary measure to promote accountable governance, Muturi advised that county governors should not be elected through universal suffrage.
“Each political party at a general election should submit to the IEBC a list of three candidates for each county, each of whom is qualified to hold office as county governor, and at least one of whom shall be of either gender,” he explained.
He added: “The list from political parties shall be in the order of priority, provided the names shall alternate between the genders.”
On independence of the Judiciary, Muturi wants the functioning of the Judiciary delinked from the administrative control of the Judicial Service Commission.
Have mandate
The Speaker also proposed an increase in the number of judges of the Supreme Court from the current seven to eleven, and the quorum from five to seven.
But MPs opposed to Muturi’s proposal said they were in the support of a system where the Kenyan voters will play a role in electing their leaders.
“What the Speaker is proposing is really ridiculous. How can we as a country leave out the citizens in determining their leaders?”asked Mohammed Ali (Nyali).
Migori Woman Representative Dannitah Gatti said a president must have the mandate of the people and that can only be achieved if all eligible voters are allowed to vote. But Homa Bay MP Peter Kaluma supported Muturi, saying by doing so the country will pick the best among the contestants.
