MP's bid to fast-track crucial bills rejected

FRIDAY, 12 AUGUST 2011 00:01 BY NZAU MUSAU

CONCERN: Assistant minister Joseph Nkaissery. Photo/File

A BID by an MP to temporarily put off Question time to allow for the passage of constitutional Bills failed yesterday after the deputy Speaker overruled him. The House business committee in parliament also came under increasing pressure from MPs led by oversight committee vice chair Millie Odhiambo to allocate more time to constitutional implementation Bills next week.

Assistant minister Joseph Nkaissery had on a point of order at the start of Question asked that the session be done away with in the interest of the many Bills the House is supposed to pass before August 27 anniversary of the constitution. He said there were about ten Bills handed over by the Executive and which needed to be dispensed with before August 27. A few others are still in the consideration of either the Cabinet or the Commission for Implementation of Constitution, he said.

But deputy Speaker Farah Maalim referred him Standing Order provisions which says the business of the House “shall” proceed in the manner prescribed. “I know Hon Nkaissery may not be a lawyer but I am sure he understands what the term ‘shall’ means,” Maalim said. He said the Speaker “may” only determine the sequence of the sessions but added that Mkaissery had not convinced him of the need to do so. Maalim said instead the House can sit late into the night. No single MP supported Nkaissery. In announcing tentative prgramme for next week, HBC's Amos Kimunya did not mention a single constitutional implementation Bill because they are yet to be published. He said his committee will "prioritise" Bills which might be out by Tuesday next week.

MPs Bonny Khalwale, Ekwe Ethuro and Charles Kilonzo protested that the government had been sleeping on the job and reiterated CIOC's resolve not to extend the time beyond August. "We will not have any extension at all and the government had better know that," Kilonzo said. Ethuro and Gitobu Imanyara said delay in introducing the Bills to the House was threatening their content as well limiting public participation. Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister Mutula Kilonzo said he was equally frustrated as the MPs in his quest to push the Bills through. On Tuesday, the Cabinet cleared four Bills for publication and tabling in parliament.