Kenya could soon vote to amend the Constitution after the electoral agency indicated yesterday it might soon start verifying signatures by the Thirdway Alliance.
Ekuru Aukot-led Punguza Mzigo initiative hit 1.4 million signatures yesterday in its push to amend the Constitution, surpassing the required one million.
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) will receive the signatures and the Bill next week on Thursday to kick off the process of verifying the signatures.
“We write to inform you that the commission is ready to receive your draft bill and signatures on the February 21 at 10am,” said Chebukati.
The commission’s letter was in response to a request by Thirdway Alliance
“We are pleased to inform the commission that we are ready to present the Bill together with the requisite signatures, hence our request for the earliest available date,” said Aukot in the February 11 letter.
The party’s Secretary-General Fredrick Okango told The Standard they had collected 1.39 signatures by yesterday, and were still waiting for more from Elgeyo Marakwet, Makueni, Mombasa, Malindi, Kilifi and Taita Taveta counties.
Mr Okango said the additional signatures will be added to their database before they are submitted to the commission next week.
The campaign seeks to amend Chapter 7 of the Constitution on representation, Chapters 8 and 12 which on the executive and devolution respectively.
It also seeks to introduce a single seven-year-term presidency and to reduce the number of MPs to 194, down from 416 in both the National Assembly and the Senate.