Nairobi 20th January, 2012

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is working towards the demarcation of electoral boundaries and not administrative or other boundaries. The Commission's mandate, for example, does not include the delimitation of boundaries between counties; a request which has featured in the on-going countrywide public hearings on the First Review on delimitation of wards and constituencies.

The countrywide public hearings on the recently released report by IEBC, has drawn immense public interest. The hearings have generated mixed reactions with members of some counties approving the Commission’s proposal while others demand that they be allocated more constituencies and wards.

The High Court on friday 13th January 2012, ruled that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) will determine the exact date of the election but based on two possible scenarios. Should the National Coalition be dissolved, then elections must be held within sixty days from the date it is dissolved. Otherwise elections will be held within sixty days upon the expiry of the term of the 10^thParliament on 14th January 2013.

The ruling was delivered by the Constitutional Court Judges Isaac Lenaola, David Majanja and Mumbi Ngugi. The Judges said elections are an important milestone in the implementation of the Constitution since they provide "a chance for renewal and change" and a commitment to the "dream of a new Kenya realised on 27th August 2010".

The IEBC is studying this ruling which comes as a result of several petitions (65, 123 & 185 of 2011) so as to determine the scope, ramification and implication of the judgment and its impact on the Commission's mandate. The Commission will also hold consultative meetings with the stakeholders on elections and communicate the way forward on the matter.

• Press Summary in Election Date
• PETITION 123 OF 2011 (Judgment)

The Chairman and Commissioners of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) held a meeting on 11^th January, 2012 with President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Rt Hon. Raila Odinga at  President’s Harambee House in Nairobi. The Commission briefed the two leaders on several issues on the electoral process and the preparation for the 2012 polls.

They discussed the IEBC’s financial requirements especially for the rolling out of electronic voter registration (EVR). The meeting also looked at other concerns crucial for the preparation of free and fair elections such as the participation security, issuance of Identity Cards (IDs), voter education and the participations of Kenyan’s in the Diaspora in elections.

The electoral body, IEBC, is concerned that majority of the youth will not vote in the coming general elections if the government does not speed up the processing of identity cards (IDs), which the law require that citizens must have to register as a voters in Kenya. To ensure that the voter registration process, which is due later in the year, is not frustrated by lack of IDs, the Commission has stepped up engagements and consultations with the Ministry of State for Immigration and Registration of Persons. IEBC’s plan and strategy is to increase the number of voters from the current 12.4 million to possibly 20 million voters.

The IEBC's Chairman Mr. Ahmed Issack Hassan urges Kenyans to exercise decorum during 21 days provided by the Constitution for discussions after the launch of the Preliminary Report on the First Review Relating to the Delimitation of Boundaries of Constituencies and Wards. He said the electoral management body recognizes the sensitivity of demarcation of boundaries and is committed to exercising its constitutional mandate "fairly and independently while upholding the rule of law."

The launch of the initial report sets off an array of activities and timelines that will see the number of constituencies in Kenya increase from 210 to 290. The Constitution required IEBC to use the IIBRC Report as its primary reference material and that of the Parliamentary Committee as the secondary material. After resolving the issues of constituencies falling outside the population quota, the Commission is then required to re-distribute such wards or administrative units in the affected constituencies as may be appropriate.