Barely ten days after Punguza Mizigo Bill suffers its first defeat, Kirinyaga county has once again dealt another major blow to Ekuru Aukot’s bill.
On Tuesday morning, Kirinyaga County Assembly threw out the Bill which was supposed to debate on in the afternoon.
The rejection came just two months after a number of MCAs in the county vowed to pass the bill once it gets to the assembly.
The process, according to reports was marred by bribery and accusations with a section MCAs alleged to have been financed by powerful politicians in the country.
BLOW to Aukot as Punguza Migizo fails to sail in Kirinyaga County Assembly; can only be re-introduced after 6 months. pic.twitter.com/Z5qH98fI3J
— CapitalFM Breaking News (@BreakingNewsKE) September 10, 2019
The Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has been under fire after declaring the Punguza Mizigo constitutional amendment initiative dead.
The governor recently blasted Thirdway Alliance party leader Ekuru Aukot’s bill saying Central Kenya was rallying behind President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga’s Building Bridges Initiative.
With this rejection, the Governor could have asserted her control in the county assembly as well as Kirinyaga politics.
On August 30, 2019, Siaya County Assembly became the first county to reject the bill.
In a report tabled by the Chairman of the House Committee on Legal Affairs, Francis Otiato, the MCAs said the document does not address issues affecting Kenyans.
The MCAs argued that the proposal to reduce the number of MPs will diminish contact between constituents and their elected parliamentarians, which will be a blow to democracy.
Kirinyaga County throws out the punguza Mizigo Bill. The process was marred with bribery accusations. pic.twitter.com/q4uCa4mmIL
— Brian Khaniri (@BKhaniri) September 10, 2019
The bill got its first win in Uasin Gishu county a week ago after the county MCAs embraced it.
The assembly approved the report following the conclusion of forums on the Punguza Mizigo bill held across all the 30 wards in the county.
The bill seeks to reduce the number of MPs, scrap the position of deputy governor and introduce a one-term presidency of seven years.
It also seeks to increase funds allocated to counties from 15 per cent to 35 per cent.