PARLIAMENT REOPENS

Parliament reopens on Tuesday after a two-month break.

Top on the agenda is the national budget which is expected to be read by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Uhuru Kenyatta this week on Thursday.

The house also opens amid heated campaigns for the upcoming referendum on the proposed constitution scheduled for August 4.

Speaker Kenneth Marende says some Members of Parliament might have to debate while standing when parliament resumes as the Old Chambers where the sessions will be held could only accommodate 200 members.

This is occasioned by rehabilitation of parliament which is expected to take about a year at a cost of one million shillings.

Parliament is also expected to debate a motion by Imenti Central Member of Parliament Gitobu Imanyara seeking to discuss the conduct of Appellate Judge Justice Joseph Nyamu who was in a bench that declared the inclusion of Kadhis' courts in the constitution unconstitutional.

The issue of Kadhis' courts is among the controversial clauses being cited by the opponents of the proposed constitution as a reason to shoot down the draft law.

Parliament is also expected to debate the issue of aflatoxin laden-maize amidst claims that 2.5 million bags harvested in Coast and Eastern provinces is contaminated.

The government has already indicated that it would purchase the contaminated maize from the farmers at a reduced cost of Ksh 1000 per bag.

The government is also purchasing clean maize from the farmers at Ksh 1 500 instead of the stipulated Ksh 2300, raising a hue and cry from politicians from the areas who say the farmers are being exploited.