The
electoral agency has said it is ready to conduct a third referendum should it
be required to do so. Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC)
Chairman Wafula Chebukati yesterday told The Standard the commission had yet to
be officially appraised of the matter even as different proposals emerged. “So
far the commission has only been notified by various promoters of their
intentions to collect signatures and to draft amendment Bills. We have not yet
been seized of any referendum documents,” said Mr Chebukati. And while the IEBC
may be ready to take the country through another constitutional change, it is
expected to cost taxpayers about Sh12 billion. Under the law, promoters must
collect and submit to the commission at least one million signatures and a
draft Bill for the proposed amendments. “The role of the commission staff with
regard to a referendum through a popular initiative is to undertake
verification should the threshold be met. The commission and staff are ready if
the referendumprocess is called upon,” said Chebukati Asked if IEBC had the
budget for the exercise, the IEBC boss said a referendum was not an activity
that was budgeted for in advance because it was not planned. He added that at
an opportune time, the commission would request the National Treasury for money
to fund the activity. Avoid becoming a victim of Fake News. Subscribe to the
Standard Group SMS service by texting ‘NEWS’ to 22840. “As to the issue of how
much, we are informed by the cost of the repeat presidential election of
October, 26, 2017, which cost Sh12 billion. With a referendum being one
election, the cost would be similar or thereabouts,” the chairman added. The
polls body said it has put in place mechanisms to ensure the exercise ran
smoothly should referendum promoters meet the threshold. “Currently, the
commission is preparing administrative procedures to complement verification of
voters that will result from the ongoing signature-collections by referendum
promoters, if and when submitted to the commission,” said Chebukati. ALSO READ:
Oparanya, Khalwale clash again Cold water Although there are questions about
the credibility of IEBC, as currently constituted, to conduct the plebiscite,
Chebukati insisted it had what it takes to do the job.   “The court has also expressed itself on the
matter, including quorum. In any case it’s not the commission to appoint
commissioners but other agencies, with Parliament tasked with coming up with
regulations on the exercise,” Chebukati said on the impasse over replacing four
commissioners who have quit.   In August,
former vice chairperson Connie Maina and commissioner Margaret Mwachanya sought
to reclaim their positions at the IEBC after resigning months earlier. Other
commissioners who had quit were Paul Kurgat and Roselyn Akombe. But Amani
National Congress leader Mudavadi yesterday tried to pour cold water on the
referendum debate, instead demanding the restructuring of the IEBC. Speaking at
Chigombero Catholic Church, Kanana and Majoreni in Lunga Lunga, Kwale, Mr
Mudavadi said the IEBC as constituted could not conduct a credible referendum
“as it lacks capacity and trust from the public to carry out the exercise”. He
added: “Even judges found the IEBC to have bungled the August 8 elections and
hence wanting. Then how can we trust it with the enormous task of conducting a
credible referendum?” ALSO READ: Referendum is inevitable, says Moi Mudavadi
was in Kwale to commission St Stephen’s Catholic Church at Chigombero, three
classrooms at Mkono wa Ndugu Primary School, and lay the foundation stone for
Mwangwei Secondary School in Majoreni area, Lunga Lunga constituency. Last
week, Opposition leader Raila Odinga told Kenyans to start preparing for a
referendum. “The push for a referendum is real and inevitable. Those working to
scuttle the process are living in denial. It’s like the croaking of a frog that
will not stop the cow from drinking water,” the National Super Alliance leader
said. Mr Odinga said Kenya was ripe for a review, eight years after the
promulgation of the Constitution. “I am actually surprised that some people are
opposed to constitutional changes. We must hold a referendum to seek people’s
views on the quest to change the Constitution.” A day later, Deputy President
William Ruto, who had hitherto dismissed calls for a plebiscite, changed tune and
called for the vote on the Constitution. Mr Ruto, who until Saturday had
maintained that the push was motivated by selfish interests, called for the
question and date for the referendum. “We have no problem with the referendum.
Our problem is hypocrisy and conmanship; to tell us the referendum was agreed
during the handshake, you are lying to us,” he said. There have been claims
that some leaders want to change the supreme law to pave the way for creation
of more seats for poll losers, an issue that has irked the DP. “The process
should not be about creating more seats. It should be informed by the public
interest. That is why we want those agitating for these changes to sit down and
harmonise what should or should not be included in the Constitution,” Ruto said
yesterday at St Nicholas AIPCA in Central Imenti constituency.