The Third Way Alliance Party Leader, Dr. Ekuru Aukot has said that debate on their proposed constitutional amendment will continue in county assemblies across the country.
This is despite the court order that halted the debate until the case before it is heard and determined. However, according to Aukot, no county assembly has been served with the court order and as such the debate has not been legally stopped.
Dr. Aukot made the remarks at Baringo County Assembly during a sensitization of the draft to the MCAs.
He also termed the case to stop the debates in the assemblies as politically instigated with an aim of playing with timelines so as to stop the bill on technicalities.
He also responded to ODM leader, Raila Odinga over his renaming of the bill as punguza gunia, saying his sentiments were actually correct as it meant one and the same thing.
“Punguza gunia as Raila puts it is ok because normally in our setup mizigo which is load is always carried in gunia or sack so in essence he is correct,” said Aukot.
Aukot argued that the bill by Third Way Alliance had for the first time united different political factions in the country on the matters affecting Kenyans.
Among the issues highlighted by Aukot in the sensitization drive are curbing corruption by introducing life sentence for graft offenders as well as reduced cost of running representation in the country.
“We have put time frames for trial of public money is because corruption is denying us the kind of development we want as a country,” he explained.
By curbing theft of public money and convicting them, Dr. Aukot proposed bill will save up to Sh. 3.5 trillion.
Dr Ekuru Aukot suggest that two terms presidency should be reduced to only one term of only seven years. The suggestion which worried some of the members saying that it will encourage ignorance will save the country Sh 20 billion and will also end election violence experienced every electioneering period.
He proposed that no one be it the president or the cabinet secretaries should be paid more than 50 times the lowest gazzeted minimum wage and should the Bill see the light of day will save the country Sh. 24 billion in total.
Touching on the Integral Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Dr. Aukot bill proposes that when one reaches the age of 18 years and acquires a national identity card (ID) he or she automatically becomes a registered voter saving the country Sh 25 billion.
Reducing the representation in the parliament, abolishing deputy governor positions, nomination of county executives and restructuring independent commissions the Third Way party leader assures the country that Sh. 206.6 billion will be saved.
He assured the members the bill will bring enormous fruits closer to wananchi, stating that each of the 1,450 wards in the country will be entitled to Sh.100 million giving a county like Baringo Sh. 3 billion in ward development alone.
The team was scheduled to visit Elgeyo Marakwet, Uasin Gishu and Trans- Nzoia counties with an aim of enlightening the Members of the County Assemblies before they debate on the bill.
By Felix Kipruto/Christopher Kiprop
