Kenyans abroad are pushing for fifteen dedicated parliamentary seats ahead of the next national election. They argue their massive yearly remittances, exceeding seven hundred eighty billion shillings, warrant direct representation. The proposal seeks to amend election laws, creating global constituencies that would each send one MP and one Senator to Nairobi.
Ephraim Mwaura of the Kenyan Canadian Association announced the bicameral framework proposal at an Independence Day event in Brampton. He stated the diaspora commands over a million votes yet remains shut out of lawmaking. The plan includes using blockchain technology for secure digital voting, modeled on systems in countries like Estonia.
The framework envisions constituencies across the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. It also calls for easier voter registration and linking diaspora savings to national bond programs. Mwaura cited international examples like France and Senegal, where citizens abroad have full legislative representation.
He dismissed the symbolic label of County 48 as insufficient, insisting that only real seats in parliament ensure meaningful inclusion. The group believes existing embassies and the Diaspora Affairs Department could manage the logistics without new bureaucracies. They are urging parliament to amend the Elections Act and direct the electoral commission to pilot digital voting, starting with the large Kenyan community in Canada. Adoption would add a significant new bloc of voters to the 2027 electoral cycle.
Ephraim Mwaura of the Kenyan Canadian Association announced the bicameral framework proposal at an Independence Day event in Brampton. He stated the diaspora commands over a million votes yet remains shut out of lawmaking. The plan includes using blockchain technology for secure digital voting, modeled on systems in countries like Estonia.
The framework envisions constituencies across the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. It also calls for easier voter registration and linking diaspora savings to national bond programs. Mwaura cited international examples like France and Senegal, where citizens abroad have full legislative representation.
He dismissed the symbolic label of County 48 as insufficient, insisting that only real seats in parliament ensure meaningful inclusion. The group believes existing embassies and the Diaspora Affairs Department could manage the logistics without new bureaucracies. They are urging parliament to amend the Elections Act and direct the electoral commission to pilot digital voting, starting with the large Kenyan community in Canada. Adoption would add a significant new bloc of voters to the 2027 electoral cycle.
