Ekuru Aukot Holds Meeting With Chebukati As Referendum Calls Intensify

Third Way Alliance party leader Ekuru Aukot held a consultative meeting with Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati.

The Tuesday meeting held at the Anniversary Towers was about the Punguza Mizigo initiative that seeks to reduce the number of elective seats through a referendum.

For a referendum to be held, the party has to collect at least 1 million signatures. The exercise has however commenced at the Central Business District (CBD).

A reduction in the political seats will translate into a toned down wage bill.

Should the people vote in favour of the initiative, members of the National Assembly will reduce from the current 416 to 194. This will reduce the money paid to MPs by over KSh30 billion from the current KSh36.8 billion to KSh 5 billion in a year.

Aukot who was also among the experts who drafted the current Constitution is seeking to have the 47 counties used as constituencies where only an MP and a senator will be elected.

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The initiative will also see funds to the counties increased to 35% from the current 15%, wards used as units of development replacing Constituency Development Funds’ (CDF) programmes and Senate handed the veto powers.

ODM party leader Raila Odinga, backed by lawmakers from both political divides has called for a referendum in line with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s handshake deal.

“We agreed with the President that as soon as the task force finishes collecting views across the country, the buck will stop with the people through another vote,” Raila said.

The people are decrying the bloated leadership and overrepresentation in both houses; Senate and National Assembly.

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