Four more bills introduced in Parliament

Written By:Nelly Moraa,    Posted: Wed, Aug 24, 2011

The four bills were approved by cabinet last Saturday in a special session held to beat August 27th deadline on key bills Parliament Wednesday morning shelved debate on private members' motions and moved to tackle crucial bills ahead of the August 27th deadline just two days away. In a raft of austerity measures to pass the key bills on Constitution implementation before the August 27th deadline, deputy leader of government business Amos Kimunya set the ball rolling seeking permission from members to have Parliament sit tomorrow Thursday morning beginning 9 a.m., to clear all the bills required. And so business begun with the reduction of the publication period of 4 bills including the Urban Areas and Cities bill, The Environment and Land Court Bill, the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Bill, the Kenya Citizens and Foreign Nationals Management Service Bill from 14 days to 2 days. The bills were approved by cabinet last Saturday in a special session held to beat August 27thdeadline on key bills. The referral period of the 4 bills to the relevant Parliamentary committees was also waived allowing debate to commence without the bills undergoing the house committee's scrutiny.  The Urban Areas and Cities Bill is a key legislation that gives effect to devolution as enshrined in article 184 of the Constitution. Its enactment will enable identification, classification, governance and management of urban areas and cities. It also provides for participation by residents in the governance of urban areas and cities. The Environment and Land Court Bill will see the establishment of a court to hear and determine issues to environment, and the use and occupation of and title to land, once enacted. The courts will enjoy the same status as the high court. The bills come up for debate Wednesday afternoon. The executive also succeed to have parliament approve a motion that will now see the referral period of 3 bills to the relevant committees slashed from 10 to one day. The three bills include the Elections Bill, The Power of Mercy Bill, the Employment and Labor Relations Court. Also expedited was debate on administrative justice commission bill, the successor of the ombudsman commission which has now gone through the second reading awaiting the final committee stage.