Remember the now famous Punguza Mzigo Initiative? Well, the Initiative received a boost that came along with conditions from IEBC which now says it is ready to conduct a referendum if the need arises.
Chairman Wafula Chebukati, however, said the commission has not received any referendum questions to process.
“We have heard there are people collecting signatures on various issues, but they have not come to us,” he said.
“They must present a total of one million signatures with the referendum bill to the commission before anything else is considered.”
Chebukati spoke in Trans Nzoia on Wednesday.
Thirdway Alliance Party leader Dr. Ekuru Aukot had in November said that he has gathered over 600,000 signatures in his ongoing countrywide campaign aimed at changing the constitution.
The former presidential candidate said the Bill seeking for the referendum is ready and will be presented to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
“The constitution, under Article 257, requires a million endorsements to begin to spur the process of referendum. Punguza Mizigo is about lessening the burden on Kenyans and reducing the cost of running government,” he said.
According to Dr. Aukot, the bill is aimed at reducing the financial burden Kenyans are grappling with due to the high public wage bill occasioned by over representation and huge salaries for elected leaders.
He said some of the issues they want to be addressed through a referendum include reducing the number of representative posts, reducing salaries of the president and other elected leaders as well as reducing the presidency term to only one of seven years.