Senate majority leader Aaron Cheruiyot has differed with Supreme Court judge Isaac Lenaola, who cast aspersions on Parliament over the stalled process of reconstituting the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
Justice Lenaola had faulted the legislature for prioritising insignificant legislation and ignoring the making of the electoral body.
He warned that the 2027 elections were fast approaching and that it was not sitting well for the country to lack a functional IEBC.
Reacting to the accusations, the Kericho senator said parliament is not to blame over the stand-off.
According to Cheruiyot, the legislature did its part by enacting legislation and greenlighting the panelling of a team to conduct the process.
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The senator lamented that parliament had often been forced to bear the brunt of failures from other agencies within the country's governance system.
He pointed out that it is indeed the judiciary that has stood in the way by issuing unending orders that stall the commission's reconstitution.
"Parliament is the easiest scapegoat for all our societal ills. I am surprised my friend Justice Lenaola would want to blame us for the IEBC standoff. As Bunge, we passed the necessary legislation close to a year ago. It is the Judiciary that has stalled progress with incessant court orders at every turn. I could understand Ole Sapit not knowing this, but not a member of the bench, surely," said Cheruiyot.
Lenaola had wondered why the commission had not been fully constituted within less than three years before the 2027 General Election.
He questioned how prepared the IEBC would be should the delays continue to drag on.
At the same time, he acknowledged that the delays had been occasioned by a dispute raised by the Azimio la Umoja coalition.
Consequently, the Supreme Court judge sought to know why the opposition was holding the country hostage.
"How can a country like ours stand on its feet without having an electoral commission? Elections are in 2027. This is 2024. When will this commission be prepared?" Lenaola posed.
"Why is the IEBC not being constituted? Because Azimio cannot appoint their representative to the panel. Is that something to hold a country hostage for two years?"
Lenaola went on to rally Kenyans to use social media to push MPs and leaders to focus on important things that needed to be fixed.
"Why don't we use social media to impact legislation? Why don't we have a hashtag on appoint IEBC now and spread it? Those who have the opportunity will actually follow it, and they will do something."
The IEBC has been devoid of commissioners following the exit of former chairman Wafula Chebukati and commissioners Molu Boya and Abdi Guliye, whose tenures ended in January 2023.
The commission lost four commissioners who resigned at the height of the 2022 presidential vote controversy.
Commissioners Juliana Cherera, Irene Masit, Francis Wanderi and Justus Nyang'aya gave up their posts after dissenting from Chebukati over the outcome of the presidential election.
