Curtain falls for Committee of Experts on Kenyan constitution

The mandate of the Committee of Experts (COE) comes to an end on Monday, 45 days after the promulgation of the new constitution.

This therefore means the Committee of Experts stands dissolved from this date according to the new constitution.

COE was created by an Act of parliament to spearhead the realization of the new constitution.

Under the act the nine member committee was expected to finalise its work within twelve months from the date of appointment and the draft constitution approved by the National Assembly be put to a referendum conducted by the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC).

And following the promulgation of the new constitution by President Mwai Kibaki on 27August the 45 day-period will lapse on Monday, automatically rendering all the nine commissioners jobless come Tuesday.

The committee has been applauded for its achievements and will go down in the history of Kenya as having accorded the country an opportunity to realize a two decade dream of a new constitution.

Interestingly the new constitution bars anybody who served in the commission from being appointed in any constitutional office.

The committee comprised nine experts and two ex officio members who were nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the President as per the Review Act.

Six members of the Committee were Kenyans and the other three were from South Africa, Zambia and Uganda.

The secretariat of the Committee was headed by the director appointed by the Parliamentary Select Committee who was responsible for the day to day running of the secretariat.

The Attorney General and the Director both sat in the Committee as ex officio members.

Next in line will be the Interim Independent Boundary Commission which will have to vacate office in November in line with the requirements of the new constitution.