Mudavadi Urges Swift Passage of Executive Authority Transition Bill

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi is advocating for the quick passage of the Assumption of the Office of President and Transition of Executive Authority Bill, 2025, aimed at ensuring effective presidential transitions after general elections. He emphasizes lessons learned from past elections, particularly highlighting the late Wafula Chebukati’s experiences, and stresses the importance of pre-election planning and strong leadership in electoral institutions.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has urged Parliament to expedite the passage of the Assumption of the Office of the President and Transition of Executive Authority Bill, 2025. This Bill is designed to create formal mechanisms for managing presidential transitions following general elections, ensuring a smooth and orderly transfer of power.

Mudavadi emphasized that the Bill includes safeguards to address any disruptions that may arise during a power transfer, which could negatively affect Kenya’s economy and its citizens’ welfare. Drawing lessons from the contentious August 2022 elections, he stated that the law would also protect the electoral body’s constitutional role during transition periods.

He acknowledged the valuable experience of the late former IEBC chairman, Wafula Chebukati, during the turbulent 2022 electoral process, advocating for the Bill’s enhancement to uphold law and order in future elections. Mudavadi articulated, “From Chebukati’s experience we have learnt one key lesson that we need to have order, good regulations and progressive laws so that transitions in Kenya shall and will always be smooth.”

The Prime Cabinet Secretary highlighted the importance of pre-election planning involving all state departments and agencies, which includes preparing financial statements and inventories to facilitate a seamless transition. This process is intended to benefit both outgoing and incoming administrations.

Mudavadi spoke during the funeral service for Wafula Chebukati, where he indicated that effective transition planning should commence well ahead of elections and continue through the inauguration of a new administration. He remarked, “Some jobs are no ordinary tasks; they are a calling… such as the job of being the chairperson of IEBC. It is thankless yet many lives depend on it.”

As Kenya prepares for future electoral reforms and the reconstitution of a new IEBC, Mudavadi urged Kenyans to recognize Chebukati’s tough but necessary decisions during his tenure. He noted that the shortlisting of candidates for the IEBC chairperson position has been completed, with expectations of excellence from the selection process. Further, he stated that the effectiveness of government institutions relies heavily on their leadership, asserting, “the strength of those institutions largely depends on the people that lead those institutions.”

In conclusion, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi advocates for the swift approval of the Transition of Executive Authority Bill to facilitate orderly presidential transfers in Kenya. Drawing insights from past electoral experiences, particularly those of the late Wafula Chebukati, Mudavadi underscores the need for pre-election planning and leadership quality in electoral institutions. As the country reviews its electoral framework, it is crucial for all stakeholders to honor past contributions while aiming for improved governance and democratic processes in future transitions.

Original Source: www.the-star.co.ke