Kenyan politicians continue to differ in public over the proposal by the Cabinet to change the forthcoming General Election date from August to December 2012. While cabinet ministers are defending the decision to amend the constitution, most Members of Parliament (MPs) want the elections to remain in August as stipulated in the Constitution. Meanwhile, civil society groups are planning to go to court and seek its interpretation of the Constitution regarding the next elections.

Speaking recently at an Internews Free and Fair Media training workshop, Senior lawyer Paul Muite proposed the newly created Supreme Court to have the final say on the date for the next election. This workshop generated news questioning the quality and highlighting the lack of public participation following the rapid passing of over 15 bills– including the crucial elections bill in four days in late August 2011, to meet a reform deadline.

During the same function, Chairman of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Implementation of the Constitution Abdikadir Mohammed called on Kenyans to remain involved in the constitution implementation process. Mr Abdikadir called on all Kenyans to keep auditing leadership and vote wisely instead of perennially complaining about their legislators. "If you have children and you keep telling them that they are horrible, what do you expect?" the Mandera central legislator asked the participants from the media attending the workshop.