Former Electoral Commission of Kenya vice chairman Gabriel Mukele has questioned some of the recommendations by the BBI report launched on Wednesday.
Speaking in his office in Kakamega town, lawyer Mukele who served as the vice to the late Samuel Kivuitu in the violence marred 2007 elections said that for example the recommendation to have the commissioners appointed by political parties is almost difficult considering the number of political parties in the country.
Mukele says that this recommendation purely tries to emulate the system being used by USA forgetting that the country has majorly two parties hence easier consensus on the numbers each party should receive to oversee the elections.
“In Kenya we currently have over 30 political parties. We are not sure of the exact number come the election year. Does it mean we are going to have to increase the number to 30 commissioners overseeing an election?”
Lawyer Mukele further said the recommendation to have the returning officer serving for a period of one term will be denying loyal servants a chance to continue delivering to the judicial system.
“When we have a system where whether someone performs well in his position be it the returning officer or even the chairman then goes home we will be denying that person a chance to use the experience he or she gained in the past election and in matters to do with elections experience in core.”
On the contrary, Mukele blamed politicians for all the challenges that face the country after every election year, saying they have an appetite for power.
