Dr. Aukot gathers 1m signatures in push for referendum

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As the calls for referndum continues, the Third Way Alliance leader Dr Ekuru Aukot-led his party in a campaign aimed at amending the Constitution. Dr Aukot has so far gathered 600,000 signatures, 400,000 shy of the one million needed to pass through the first stage of the planned referendum.

Once done the signatures will be presented to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission(IEBC) for verification before the Referendum Bill can be presented to the 47 county assemblies for approval.

While speaking to the media Dr Aukot said, “This campaign is now taking a life of its own. It is no longer a party affair, but a Kenyan affair. Kenyans are endorsing it regardless of their political persuasion.”

In the National Assembly, MPs Justus Murunga (Matungu), Didmus Barasa (Kimilili), Tindi Mwale (Butere), Titus Khamala (Lurambi) and Ayub Savula of Lugari called for the scrapping of the Senate and the appointment of ministers from among the elected MPs.

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According to Mr. Murunga. “What we want is to see the wage bill go down, and it must start from the top,” Mr Murunga said, noting that reduction of the 349 MPs and about 2,400 MCAs is top on the agenda.

Mr Savula said: “The current Constitution was crafted by activists.”

At the same time, former Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto and former Roads Minister Franklin Bett want the Building Bridges Initiative Committee — the 14-member team formed after the March 9 handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga — reconstituted in the wake of calls for constitutional amendments.

“The committee has outlived its usefulness and there is a need to expand it to include those who were not available or were not involved during the meeting between President Kenyatta and Mr Odinga, which resulted in the handshake,” the two leaders said.

Former Cabinet ministers John Koech, Paul Sang and Langat Magerer, former MPs Zakayo Cheruiyot (Kuresoi), Sammy Koech (Konoin), Anthony Kimetto (Sotik) and former Kericho Woman Rep Hellen Chepkwony said the proposed constitutional amendments should address the issues that were left out in the new Constitution promulgated in 2010.

 

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