Tough call for Aukot as ODM, Jubilee leaders oppose ‘Punguza Mizigo’

Legislators and other political parties officials from across the political divide have urged Kenyans to ignore the Third Way Alliance’s push for constitutional change, terming it cosmetic.

Siaya Senator, James Orengo, Rarieda MP, Otiende Amollo, Alego Usonga MP, Samuel Atandi, Ugunja MP, Opiyo Wandayi and Siaya women Rep, Christine Ombaka said the decision by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to give a nod to the push by the Third Way Alliance was questionable, given that an earlier attempt by the Orange Democratic Movement had been thrown away by the same body.

Senator James Orengo. He says his party ODM will not support Aukot’s referendum bid. PHOTO/COURTESY

Orengo who is also the minority leader in the senate told Siaya MCAs to oppose the Bill and instead wait for proposals by the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) taskforce.

On the jubilee side, majority leader in the national assembly Aden Duale has urged all MCA’s in the larger pastoral communities to shoot down the Aukot bill in their respective county assemblies.

“As the patron of the legislators from the pastoral community I want to tell all mca’s in the region that they will be held accountable by the community if they pass the bill. The bill is ill-informed meant to deny the pastoral community national resources by merging our counties and reducing our leaders” Duale said..

Majority leader in the NA Aden Duale. He is calling on MCAs to reject the proposal. PHOTO/COURTESY

Also a section of Ukambani MPs allied to the Deputy President, William Ruto, have opposed the proposed “Punguza Mizigo” initiative to amend the constitution.

Kitui South MP, Rachel Nyamai, who spoke in Machakos town at a function attended by the Deputy President said the proposal by the Thirdway Alliance party leader, Dr. Ekuru Aukot, will not be supported by the majority of Kenyans.

Nyamai who was among the over ten MPs who accompanied the Deputy President to a fundraiser for the AIC Katisaa church project said the proposal should not target women representatives, adding that any proposal that intends to reduce the number of women in leadership will not be accepted.

Other legislators said the proposal is a waste of time.

West Pokot Governor Prof John Lonyangapuo and Kapenguria MP Samuel Moroto have dismissed the initiative as misplaced saying it has failed to address the interests of ordinary Kenyans.

Speaking at Tartar Girls in West Pokot county, governor John Lonyangapuo dismissed the punguza mizigo bid saying Ekuru Aukot was using the referendum agenda to promote his 2022 bid for Turkana County Governor.

Last Thursday, IEBC approved 1.2 million signatures collected by Ekuru Aukot-led third way alliance party in a bid to push for a referendum to review the constitution.

Dr Ekuru Aukot with his punguza mzigo secretariat. PHOTO/COURTESY

Among the proposed changes in the Ekuru Aukot bill, is the reduction of constituencies, scrapping of woman representatives positions and nominated leaders as well change of presidential term limit to one term of seven years from the current two five year terms.

The Bill by the Ekuru Aukot-led Thirdway Alliance was forwarded to county assemblies by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on Wednesday after the poll agency verified 1.2 million signatures of registered voters.

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