Kenyan MPs on March 2, 2011 passed an adjournment motion only a month after the House was summoned to scrutinise and pass two crucial bills to the implementation of the new constitution. Photo/FILE
By DAVE OPIYO dopiyo@ke.nationmedia.comPosted Wednesday, March 2 2011 at 22:20
MPs on Wednesday took another recess sparking complaints that there was a backlog of urgent reform business to be concluded.
Leaders of lobby groups under the reform caucus complained that the timetable to put in place a new boundaries and electoral commission, election law, vet and approve a new chief justice among other things was tight and time would soon run out for the country to hold credible elections in August next year.
But MPs were not alone in taking the blame as drafters of the new laws including the Attorney General’s chamber, Law Reform Commission, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs are yet to conclude writing some of the laws required to move the process forward.
Apart from debating the Budget proposals when they return, the NGO leaders said MPs should prioritise the following;
- Finalise and enact the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission within the coming 100 days to allow adequate time and resources for professional development and capacity building;
- Finalise and pass comprehensive elections laws;
- Review and amend the Political Parties Act to sanitise the political environment and entrench political order, accountability and ethics and level the political playing field;
- Strengthen mechanisms and legal processes to deal with hate speech, political incitement and negative political propaganda.
- In addition to this they called for the finalisation of the boundaries of 80 new constituencies.
The lobby groups, among them the Institute of Education in Democracy, described Parliament’s recess as ill-advised because it would further delay the implementation of the new Constitution.
IED executive director Peter Aling’o said most of the legislation needed to move the reform agenda forward should have been completed not later than June this year.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka appeared to acknowledge the need for fast-tracking some of the reform measures.
In their contributions to the adjournment motion, they called for quick implementation of the Constitution to avoid pitfalls that could plunge the country into anarchy.
Mr Odinga cautioned against “politics of ethnicity, bigotry and intolerance’’ saying such careless talk contributed to situations now prevailing in parts of the Arab world and in trouble-ridden Cote d’Ivoire.
“We must guide against these kinds of inflammatory talk. If we are not careful, we risk going that way,’’ he said recalling his experience in Cote d’Ivoire as an African Union mediator. (Read: Mediator Raila arrives in crisis-hit Côte d'Ivoire)
Mr Musyoka asked politicians on both sides of the political divide to exercise restraint and offer leadership and respect each other.
“We are in one Kenya whether you are from a majority or minority group; everyone has a right to live peacefully. Let’s follow the rule of law.”
The VP asked both sides to unite in their support for the Ocampo Six Kenyans to be tried locally through a proper judicial mechanism or tribunal.
Public Service boss Francis Muthaura, Post-Master General Hussein Ali, Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta, MPs William Ruto, Henry Kosgey and radio broadcaster Joshua arap Sang are being investigated as the prime suspects in the 2008 post-election violence. (Read: Ocampo names Kenya chaos suspects)
Some 1,133 Kenyans were killed and more than 600,000 displaced in the violence that erupted after the 2007 presidential election.
On Wednesday, Mr Musyoka said the country was on track setting up a credible Judiciary after Parliament approved the two Bills which now await presidential assent.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment