Kenya: President Kibaki says General Elections in December

(SomaliNet) The Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki said on Thursday that Kenya’s General Election will be held in December and not in February next year as proposed by some MPs.

The Kenyan leader said elaborate arrangements for the elections have already been made and there would be no interfere with the electoral process by prolonging the life of the ninth Parliament.

However, last month, a committee on minimum reforms headed by Vice President Moody Awori proposed that the General Election be held on the last Thursday of February every five years.

The proposal, part of the proposed Constitution of Kenya (Amendment Bill 2007), drew criticism from Kenyans as it was likely to be supported by some sitting MPs who would continue enjoying their hefty perks.

On Thursday, President Kibaki said: “If there was any need to interfere with the process, then the General Election should have been brought forward as Kenyans are normally engaged with many activities during the month of December.”

“But since the General Election had been planned for December, we will allow the process to go on as scheduled and we will not change anything this time around,” the President added.

Kibaki called on Kenyans to take advantage of the extension of the voter registration period and register in large numbers, saying no one should be disenfranchised because of failure to register as a voter.

He cautioned against premature campaigns and said electioneering should not be allowed to interfere with development activities.

President Kibaki was opening the A.S.K. Nakuru show at Nakuru town. -Nation