Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa has said that MPs are determined to change the election date from August to the third week of December.
While speaking to KTN on Wednesday, Wamalwa said he was confident that the required 233 MPs will support the bill this afternoon.
He said the draft had gone through all the parliamentary procedures in accordance with the standing orders.
The MP also dismissed claims that the move was a plot to extend the term of the current Parliament.
“It was once tabled by the late Mutula Kilonzo and David Ochieng. This is the third time I am tabling. We tabled the public participation report and that of the Justice and Legal Affairs which indicated 80 per cent of Kenyans are supporting the change,” he said.
Wamalwa argues that the current dates interfere with school calendar under the new curriculum.
“We use schools as polling stations. Too many campaigns affect school activities. Last years election tampered with KCPE and KCSE and as legislators we deem it fit that we change the dates,” he said.
National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi says that Wednesday’s vote on a constitutional amendment Bill seeking to shift of the General Election date will be done electronically.
In his communication to the House, Muturi said no other form of voting will be used in the exercise in a bid to avoid confusion that marked House Proceeding during the voting on the Finance Bill.
He further directed that the vote will only take place after the Speaker is satisfied that there are 233 MPs present for the House to make its determination of amendment.
The amendment sponsored by Minority Deputy Whip Chris Wamalwa has received mixed reactions from members with some opposing it because it may lead to the extension of the presidential term.
However, Wamalwa’s attempt could suffer a fate similar to proposal by former Ugenya MP David Ochieng’ – who also twice sought to move the election date in 2014 and 2015 – but failed after the then Jubilee Coalition and CORD marshalled its members to deny him the two-thirds quorum.
The Minority Deputy Whip is how confident that a majority of the 349 members of the National Assembly support his initiative, have committed to support it when it comes up for voting.
The Bill requires the support of at least two-thirds – or 233 of the 349 MPs to sail through.
If approved by the MPs, the Bill will go to the Senate. If the Senate approves it, the Speakers of the two Houses will jointly take it to President Uhuru Kenyatta for his signature.
The lawmakers were expected to have voted on the matter last Wednesday but was deferred after the Interior Ministry declared the Moi Day a public holiday following a ruling by the High Court.