Cord leader Raila Odinga has welcomed the agreement reached between the House joint select committee and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioners that will see the latter leave office voluntarily.

Odinga commended the committee for doing a good job to ensure that a decision was reached, in the process aimed at reforming the electoral body. He also applauded the IEBC commissioners for the decision to voluntarily vacate office.

“I wish to congratulate Senators Kiraitu Murungi and James Orengo for the steady leadership of the Joint Select Committee of Parliament that has ensured harmonious and mature discussions which have produced this commendable progress,” said Raila in a statement.

“I thank all the members of Parliament serving on this committee for putting aside partisan politics and focusing on what really matters at this moment in the history of our country which is the need to have a credible electoral body that enjoys the broad support of a great majority of Kenyans ahead of 2017 elections,” he said.

CORD ANTI-IEBC PROTESTS

The opposition has been pushing the government to disband IEBC and even went ahead to organize weekly countrywide demonstrations to force the commissioners out of office with the embattled (IEBC) commissioners previously maintaining that they will not bow down to pressure and step down as demanded by CORD.

IEBC chairman Ahmed Issack Hassan yesterday said all the nine commissioners were willing to go home but on their terms.

Part of the conditions given by the team was that they are paid their salary for the remaining 15 months of their term.

The commissioners were also granted parliamentary immunity against any criminal liability over any mistakes in the 2013 General Election.