IEBC Paid Ksh.4B To These Law Firms For Advisory Services – Kenya Kwanza MP
On Friday, July 5, Kibwezi West Member of Parliament (MP) Mwengi Mutuse revealed that seven firms contracted by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to provide an advisory opinion billed the institution Ksh4 billion.
The Kenya Kwanza MP, who was elected on Maendeleo Chap Chap’s ticket, stated that the billing was excessive and should be investigated.
Mwengi, a member of the National Assembly’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC), has vowed to take the matter to the House floor.
“Seven law firms were instructed to make a simple application for an advisory opinion, resulting in nearly Ksh4 billion in pending legal fees,” the legislator stated.
The MP stated that he would rally fellow JLAC members to oppose any attempts to appropriate the expenditure.
According to Mwengi, the IEBC secretariat should pay the amount out of their own pockets rather than the taxpayer.
On Thursday, the IEBC requested an advisory opinion on whether it can proceed with the delimitation of electoral boundaries and other electoral processes in the absence of commissioners or the required quorum of commissioners.
Furthermore, the IEBC sought the Supreme Court’s intervention to determine whether it could conduct a review of the names and boundaries of constituencies and wards after the legal deadlines had passed.
Finally, the advisory opinion sought to determine whether the constitutional timelines for boundary review could be extended in special circumstances.
According to constitutional timelines, the IEBC should have completed the boundary review by March 6, 2024, but the process was hampered by a lack of commissioners.
Mwengi now argues that the three issues sought advisory opinion at the Supreme Court should not have resulted in a Ksh4 billion bill.
Tharaka MP George Murugara chairs the JLAC Committee, while Mwengi Mutuse serves as vice chairperson.
Other committee members include Otiende Amollo, Junet Mohammed, Tom Kajwang, Farah Maalim, Amina Udgoon, John Makali, Wakili Muriu, Maina Njeri, Michael Mwangi, Silvanus Osoro, Stephen Mogaka, and Aden Mohamed.
IEBC Paid Ksh.4B To These Law Firms For Advisory Services – Kenya Kwanza MP
