Way to go: Kenya: leaders vowed to mobilise millions of Kenyans countrywide

[rumpel]

It seems Kenya is in the middle of a fight for fair and accurate elections.

No Reforms no Election, says ODM

Written By:Muthoni Kariuki/Millicent Awour , Posted: Sun, Feb 18, 2007

ODM leaders Saturday said it would disrupt the General Election if the government does not agree to minimum reforms.
In the meeting held at Uhuru Park the leaders vowed to mobilise millions of Kenyans countrywide to ensure that the general election does not take place if their demand for minimum reforms is not met.

More than 50 MPs joined reform activists for the meeting at Nairobi's Uhuru Park to press for minimum reforms.

The meeting, the first of many to be held countrywide, was co-joined between ODM-K and a group callint itself Muungano wa Katiba Mpya, a loose coalition of oganisations which favour some changes to the Constitution before the election.

The rally arrived at a joint resolution, called the Uhuru Park Declaration, which said: "We are not talking about a boycott. No! We are talking about mobilising millions of Kenyans in every constituency to stop the elections."

They added: "If the government defies the will of the people of Kenya and attempts to rig the next General Election or to conduct it without enacting the essential reforms package then, as the people of Kenya, we have no choice but to stop those elections from happening."

Official Opposition Leader Uhuru Kenyatta, Lang'ata MP Raila Odinga, Mwingi North's Kalonzo Musyoka, Eldoret North's William Ruto, Najib Balala (Mvita), Kabete's Paul Muite and former Vice-President Musalia Mudavadi gave an ultimatum of April 15 for enactment of the piecemeal reforms.
http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=40958

Related:

Kenya opposition threatens to stop elections
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=87&art_id=nw20070218110824804C409244

Reform campaigns will not threaten my govt - Kibaki
http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/newsarticle.asp?newsid=1831&newscategoryid=1

ECK reveals huge transfer of voters
Monday February 19, 2007
By Patrick Mathangani

The Electoral Commission of Kenya has revealed a massive voter transfer plot by politicians to tilt the balance in their favour.

ECK chairman Mr Samuel Kivuitu said the politicians were paying money to registered voters, claiming their tribal interests would be boosted if they changed to a different constituency.

And to block the plot, the commission has asked its officials to vet applicants and deny those without genuine reasons when the month-long voter registration starts on March 1.

During last year’s registration exercise, the ECK announced that more than 250,000 voters had moved to new polling areas.

On Sunday, Kivuitu warned Kenyans against being lured to move from constituencies where they resided, saying it would beat the representation purpose of voting.

The practice is prevalent in urban centres, he said, and cited Nairobi’s Embakasi and Starehe Constituencies as the most notorious.
http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143965066

[rumpel]

1. here is what the changes demanded are about

Reform lobbyists say they have been forced to agitate for facilitative reforms after they realised the Government was not keen. But what would make a regime that swept to power on a reform agenda recalcitrant? Power retention is a plausible rationale.

The changes being demanded include limiting the President’s powers in the appointment of electoral commissioners, Cabinet ministers from any party with MPs, judicial officers, civil servants, and the Provincial Administration.

Though the reformists say they have, through the Muite committee, tabled a 10-point minimum reform package in the House, Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister, Ms Martha Karua, has described these, as "cheap political points and unrealistic".

The essential reforms include enhancing the independence of the Electoral Commission. They also want a winning presidential candidate to garner more than 50 per cent of the votes cast in five of the eight provinces.

The reformists are also rooting for the independence of Parliament to set its calendar and entrenching affirmative action to increase the number of women MPs.

Others are transparency in the appointment of individuals to constitutional offices; dual citizenship; and establishment of a committee to oversee equity in distribution and generation of the nation’s wealth.

Instead of inviting reformists to dialogue with respect and candour the Government has labelled the agitators as insincere and conceited power-seekers.

From "Call for reforms need not be acrimonious"
http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news_s.php?articleid=1143964993