Regulations to name regional MPs out
03:15
House in session. Parliament has published the rules that will govern
the election of new members to the East African Legislative assembly
(EALA). Photo/FILE
By NATION REPORTER
Parliament has published the rules that will govern
the election of new members to the East African Legislative assembly
(EALA), setting the stage for a bruising contest for the nine slots up
for grabs.
In a special gazette notice published in local dailies on
Sunday, Parliament empowered the departmental committee for national
security and foreign relations to vet applicants for the nine slots
available to Kenya at the regional assembly based in Arusha, Tanzania.
According to the rules, interested candidates will
have to be sponsored by political parties on the basis of their
numerical strength in Parliament.
“A party shall nominate candidates through a
transparent and democratic process and shall keep a written record of
the proceedings at which the final decision to nominate any candidate
was made,” reads one of the rules
which appear to be tailored to eliminate past practices where
politicians used their influence to reward their cronies with seats at
the regional assembly.
The rules give the clerk of the National Assembly
in consultation with the parliamentary committee chaired by Wajir West
MP Adan Keynan powers to reject any nominations and order a fresh
process if it is clear from the list of nominees that they do not
reflect regional and gender balance.
The rules stipulate that at least three of the nominees be women.
The nine members nominated to the assembly can only serve for a maximum of two terms.
Political parties have started jostling for the
nine slots up for grabs three weeks to the expiry of the term of the
current assembly.
Already, three PNU affiliates are demanding slots in the regional assembly, setting the stage for a potentially long-drawn negotiations.
Already, three PNU affiliates are demanding slots in the regional assembly, setting the stage for a potentially long-drawn negotiations.
Posted on 03:15.
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