This archive report was first published on 12 July 2020.
On July 9, President Uhuru Kenyatta signed into law a bill sponsored by Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen to strengthen county governance.
The County Governments Amendment Bill was first introduced in the Senate in April and later passed through the National Assembly in June.
The bill aims to make it easier for constituents to remove MCAs from their positions if they violate the constitution or engage in misconduct.
According to Senator Murkomen, the bill seeks to ensure that county assemblies are 'bastions of respect and dignity' in undertaking their constitutional and legal mandate.
Under the new law, a voter from the ward can initiate the recall process by obtaining over 30% of signatures from the ward's registered voters.
The voter must then write to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) within 30 days, which will verify the signatures and conduct a recall vote within 90 days.
After the MCA has been recalled, a by-election would be conducted within the succeeding 90 days.
The bill also requires governors to nominate deputies in the event of a vacancy, with the governor having 14 days to nominate a deputy and 60 days to forward the name to the county assembly for approval or rejection.
Published on July 12, 2020.
