Why Mt Kenya Stands To Lose Seven Constituencies in Boundary Review

• Mt Kenya region to loose seven constituencies in the upcoming boundary review after IEBC reviewed population quota to ensure the number of constituencies stands at 290.
• Some of the constituencies that are set to be scrapped are Tetu, Othaya, Mathioya, Kangema, Mukurweini, Ndaragwa and Mbere North.
• However, if BBI passes before delamination of boundaries, the seven constituencies will be saved.

Mt Kenya region is set to lose seven constituencies and gain zero with the revising of population quota by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. On a press issued by the elections and boundaries commission said it is impossible to review boundaries before 2022 general elections since for boundary review to be done, it has to be done an year to the general elections.

In the press briefing, IEBC also reviewed the population quota to 164,000 from 134,000. Population quota is used by the commission to delaminate constituency boundaries as per the county.

Though the number of constituencies in the country are capped at 290 by the 2010 promulgated constitution, IEBC is mandated by the constitution to either scrap or add new constituencies depending with the population of the counties as long the total number of constituencies is maintained at 290.

As a result of an upward trajectory in population growth and the capping of constituencies at 290, IEBC has no other alternative other than revising the population quota to 164,000 meaning that any constituency that does not meet the threshold will be scrapped and counties which have an access of 164,000 people will be added a new constituency.

Going by the new population quota, Mt Kenya alone is set to lose seven constituencies out of the 26 constituencies IEBC will scrap and add them to other regions. Some of the constituencies that are set to be scrapped by IEBC were listed as protected constituencies by the 2010 constitution for a period of 10 years.

In Mt Kenya region, the constituencies set to be scrapped include: Tetu, Othaya, Mathioya, Kangema, Mukurweini, Ndaragwa and Mbere North. Other constituencies that will be scrapped include Bura, Galore, Isiolo South, Kilome, Laisamis, Saku, Lamu East, Lamu West, Mvita, Mwatate, Wundanyi, Voi, Samburu East, Marakwet East, Keiyo North, Mogotio, Vihiga and Budalangi.

In return, the declared population quota will only give two constituencies to Kiambu in the entire of Mt Kenya region making the region lose 5 constituencies translating to 500 million loss among other benefits that comes with a constituency.

However, this will not be the case if Building Bridges Initiative commonly known as BBI is passed by the time IEBC is delaminating boundaries. This is because, one of the recommendations of BBI is to introduce additional 70 constituencies to the current 290 and also extend the tenure of the protected ones.