13/01/2012

Kenya general elections in March 2013 - unless coalition is dissolved

A Kenyan court just ruled general elections should be held in March 2013, unless the current coalition is dissolved...

MP for Gichugu Constituency and Presidential Candidate for Kenya 2012 Martha Karua reacted on Twitter this afternoon:

"I totally disagree with the courts ruling. Term of office must include the election period and that's the interpretation world over".

Accordint to the  the Chair of the Parliamentary Constitution Implementation Oversight Committee, Mandera Central MP Abdikadir Mohammed, as the current Parliament was elected on December 27, 2007 and the constitution states it must serve its full term, the next elections must be held in December 2012...

But it is also well known that the National Assembly did not meet after the last general election until 15 January 2008. Its life therefore expires on 15 January 2013, precluding a December 2012 election, according to Yash Pal Ghai, director with Katiba Institute, and scholar in constitutional law.

The section 9 of the Sixth Schedule says that the first general elections under the new constitution shall be held within “sixty days after the dissolution of the National Assembly at the end of its term”. This means that the next elections could be delayed as late as 15 March 2013, according to him, though there would be no need to postpone the elections until then (The Star, 6 November 2011).

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