A majority of Kenyans are in support of a proposed law that seeks to change the election date from August to December.
The proposed law which is under Parliament’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee has been presented to members of the public in Eldoret and Mombasa to get views.
Kiminini MP Dr. Chris Wamalwa who has sponsored the Bill proposes having elections conducted on the third Monday of December in the fifth year.
“The amendment seeks to restore the tourism high season and the aspirations of a section of Kenyans who are not able to get time out of their busy schedules to take part in the General Election at their places of preference,” reads the Bill in part.
In the 2010 Constitution, it is stipulated that elections should be held on the second Tuesday of August in the fifth year.
Stakeholders in giving their views said that pushing the election date to December would be convenient for teachers because August elections have disrupted the syllabus in a big way.
“We have elections in August and we have seen what our teachers go through in making sure they finish the syllabus before August elections to avoid any interruptions,” said Grace Oloo at the Kenya School of Government in Mombasa according to Daily Nation.
Diana Koech from Centre of Human Rights and Democracy (CHRD) in Eldoret noted that “If the date is moved to December, this will allow most people to go back and vote in their homes.”
However, there are those who are opposed to changing the date saying that it will interfere with the holidays.
“In December, Kenyans are usually on holiday and a good number travel to up country during this time, thus it will inconvenience them,” said Ms Hamisa Zaja from Likoni constituency.