STATISTICS TELL A DIFFERENT STORY IN DEMAND FOR CONSTITUENCIES

By BILLOW KERROW
Posted Monday, October 26 2009 at 17:52

Some MPs have called for a review of constituency boundaries, particularly in Central Province, as they believe their region is under represented in the House. They believe that North Eastern Province, for example, is over-represented.

Yet it is the possibility that a parliamentary system may be adopted soon, coupled with the exigencies of the CDF funds that has, by and large, informed their enthusiasm.

In a participatory democracy such as ours, inclusiveness is through the electoral process in which political power is apportioned among constituencies to ensure free and fair elections.

According to the current Constitution, the size of population cannot be the sole determinant for creating constituencies.
POPULATION DENSITY, GEOGRAPHICAL features and communication network, among others, count in delimitation. This happens in Australia, Japan, UK and India, resulting in sparsely populated rural areas and towns having more MPs.

Yet, even on the basis of population, Central Kenya does not merit additional constituencies.

Population density is to a large extent determined by the level of economic opportunities, which in turn is predicated on socio-economic development.

If, for instance, North Eastern had tarmac roads, electricity, piped water, quality schools, irrigated farms, modern livestock industries, mines and more public funds voted for it, half the Kenyan population would move there.

It is opportunities that attract people, not just the environment. Thats why places such as Dubai and other desert countries attract large investments and settlement. As it is, many residents of northern Kenya migrate to other parts because of poor livelihood.

Mandera Central constituency in North Eastern Province is 11,600 square kilometres, roughly the size of Central Province which is 13,000. It is divided into seven divisions with 32 locations and 46 sub-locations. The population is 147,000 whilst registered voters are 41,000. Poverty index is 70 per cent and communication is Stone Age.

Wajir South has 127,000 people in a vast area of 21,000 square kilometres, nearly twice that of Central Kenya. Compare this to Kipipri with 98,000 people in 544 square kilometres, or Kangema with 81,000 people living on 260 square kilometres.
Most constituencies in Central have similar statistics based on 2005 population projections by the ECK.

Indeed, Central Kenya has relatively lower average population per constituency/MP at 139,000 than all the other provinces except North Eastern. Coast ties with Central. Even the average population per MP in North Eastern is only a little lower at 131,000.

The rest of the regions of Western, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Nairobi and Eastern, range between 142,000 and 344,000 people.

When we look at the average geographical size of constituencies, Centrals is only 456 square kilometres, compared to 11,700 for North Eastern, 4,000 for Coast and 3,700 for Rift Valley.

Thus an MP in Central Kenya does only 456 square kilometres to meet 139,000 constituents while his counterpart in Rift Valley covers 3,700 to meet 171,000 constituents.

Indeed, people in North Eastern, Rift Valley, Coast, and Eastern may as well demand a ceiling on the geographical size of their constituencies.

The level of political representation has a direct correlation to the allocation of resources, and consequently the level of poverty.

CLEARLY, CENTRAL KENYA DID benefit from the adequate representation it had over the years, compared to other regions. The appalling inequality is testimony enough.

Poverty index in North Eastern averages 70 per cent, Coast 61 and Eastern 58 as compared to Centrals 31 per cent.

We cannot marginalise parts of our country and claim they do not deserve representation because they are depopulated.

For arid areas, an MP struggles more to seek development of roads, schools, health centres, water and food, in addition to dealing with mundane issues of impoverished constituents.
When the MP travels home, residents line up with more demands.

In Central Kenya, residents do not even bother to meet their MP as they are often busy on their farms and businesses. Central is more represented in Parliament, the pitched voices of its leaders not withstanding.

Mr Kerrow is a former MP for Mandera Central.

Excellent analysis. Now let the greedy ones fight the facts.

MQ

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/politics/-/1064/678238/-/xtmctyz/-/index.html

Politics

Base review on number of voters, says PNU

Members of the PNU coalition lead by Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi (centre) Mohammed Affey and Lina Jebii Kilimo and other members address journalist at the Norfolk Hotel on October 27, 2009 on the ongoing review talks. Fredrick Onyango

By NATION TeamPosted Tuesday, October 27 2009 at 15:01

The number of voters should be the guiding principle in the review of constituency boundaries, the PNU coalition resolved on Tuesday.

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PNU roots for voter numbers in boundary review
The coalition, whose partners include Kanu and ODM Kenya, had met to make a common stand on the constituency boundary review, which has sparked political dispute threatening to undermine the process.

We want the Interim Independent Boundaries Commission to look at certain variations when they are reviewing the constituency boundaries, said Energy minister Kiraitu Murungi, who read the statement on behalf of his colleagues.

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta also attended the meeting held at Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi.

Mr Murungi said the case of sparsely-populated areas should be considered separately from areas that are densely populated.

It is wise for them (the Interim Independent Boundaries Commission) to look into areas with dense population like Nairobi and Nakuru and other urban areas, he said.

He said that whenever population was dense, justice in representation should also be enforced.

Mr Murungi, who is also the PNU secretary-general, said areas like Kisii and others with a high rural population should also be accorded special consideration during the review.

MPs from Mount Kenya region have been campaigning for more constituencies, arguing that their areas are under-represented.

But their counterparts from North Eastern and Coast provinces are against this.

At the same time, Higher Education assistant minister Asman Kamama asked the Interim Independent Boundary Review Commission to adopt a middle ground as the debate on how boundaries should be redrawn continued.

Mr Kamama said this would be the only way the new constituencies would satisfy all Kenyans, including minorities like the Ogieks, Malakote and Wanyoyaya.

Lets get the middle ground. Lets use the most scientific formula for handling this matter so that even the minorities get catered for, he said during the opening of a laboratory and lecture theatre complex at Kenyatta University.

Boundaries

If we cant get a middle ground, lets forget about the whole of this boundaries issue, he added.

In Nairobi, MPs demanded an additional eight constituencies.

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PNU roots for voter numbers in boundary review
They argued that this would help attract more resources for the province, where close to half the population lives in slums.

Five constituencies in Nairobi were represented at the hearings by their MPs, with only Langata, Dagoretti and Embakasi having no representatives.

In their presentations, the politicians argued that constituencies in Nairobi had remained constant even as the population increased by up to 10 times the number at independence.

They noted that the province, which had close to 4 million residents, was under-represented, contributing to a large amount of problems facing it.

Nairobi contributes the largest portion of the countrys GDP yet we receive the same amount of devolved funds as other parts of the country that contribute lesser.

This is one of the reasons why we are asking that the constituencies be doubled so that we have a fairer representation, said Kamukunji MP Simon Mbugua.

Assisting

His sentiments were echoed by Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru and her Makadara counterpart Dick Wathika. The MPs said their push for more constituencies was aimed at assisting them in developing the lives of their constituents through more resources.

The same argument has been fronted by central Kenya MPs, who further see more constituencies as a way of helping them control Parliament, which may be the main centre of power when a new constitution is enacted.

While agreeing with her colleagues on the need for more constituencies, Kasarani MP Elizabeth Ongoro said constituencies in marginalised areas also needed to be split to open them up to development.