Reprieve for Aukot as High Court okays ‘Punguza Mizigo’ debate
By Amina WakoThe High Court has given County Assemblies the green light to debate the Punguza Mizigo bill after the petitioners in the case failed to appear in court.
Last month the court stopped the 47 county assemblies across the country from debating and approving the Bill fronted by Thirdway Alliance Kenya party.
Before the bill was stopped, Thirdway Alliance party leader, Ekuru Aukot, had already taken it to several county assemblies.
The petition, filed by Mr David Kamau Ngari and International Economic Law Centre, had named the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the Speakers of National Assembly and Senate, Thirdway Alliance and 47 Speakers of the county assemblies.
Mr Ngari had faulted the Bill, saying IEBC made a mistake in approving the 1.2 million signatures supporting the initiative without verification to confirm if indeed they were genuine.
PROPOSED BILL
“The IEBC as presently constituted lacks constitutional competence and technical capacity to admit, process and approve the proposed Bill together with the supporting documents and signatures of registered voters as presented,” reads part of the petition.
Among the issues highlighted by Aukot is the introduction of life imprisonment for graft offenders.
He has also proposed that the two-terms presidency should be reduced to only one term of seven years.
Dr Aukot has also suggested that no one (president or cabinet secretaries) should be paid more than 50 times the lowest gazetted minimum wage.