BY NT CORRESPONDENT.
Jubilee party now want case by NASA challenging the appointment of constituency and county returning officers dismissed.
Party secretary general Raphael Tuju argues that it’s not probable for the commission to consult all political parties every time the commission seek to transfer and reassign duties of its returning officers who by virtue are staff members.
“If the political parties are to determine who the returning officers will be and also how their duties should be assigned then the commission cease being independent”
Tuju further says that IEBC has the executive independence to carry out reassignment of duties of existing staff without involving the political parties.
IEBC has defended itself saying that participation of political parties and the independent candidates by way of making representation in the appointment process of the returning officers is feasible only when the it is appointing new Returning officers and not when carrying out the internal reorganization of its staff.
The commission through lawyer Mahamud Jabane submit that they made several changes in its staff including redeployment of County Election Managers and the Constituency Elections Coordinators.
“Being an independent constitutional commission IEBC has the administrative independence to recruit, deploy, transfer, redeploy or promote its staff members in accordance with its Human Resource and Administration policies and procedures manual” argues IEBC
NASA in their application said that the commission made a decision to do staff changes and movements which did not adhere to the principles of good governance set out in the constitution.
The matter will be mentioned on 21 for further directions.
