Parliament to publish Bills before deadline

By Citizen Reporter, Citizen Digital

Published on  19 August 2015

The National Assembly has reduced the number of days set to publish eight Bills from 14 to 8 days ahead of the August 27th deadline.

The Members of Parliament have up to August 27th this year to pass 28 Bills or seek an extension of the period failure to which Parliament will be dissolved.

To avert Parliamentary dissolution, at least two-thirds of the MPs must support the extension motion that is already facing opposition from the Coalition for reforms and Democracy (CORD).

Jubilee coalition would require at least 17 MPs from the opposition to defy the ODM position. Jubilee’s infamous tyranny of numbers can only rest assured of 216 members.

Some of the Bills that should be passed by next week include the Community Land Bill 2015, the Eviction and Resettlement Bill 2015, a Bill on historical land injustices, maximum and the provision on minimum and maximum acreage among others.

In the two day gathering the ODM leaders further agreed to back a Bill on two-third gender rule set to be tabled by Majority Leader Aden Duale that seeks to increase the nomination slots for women.

In the proposed law, a women contestant who loses parliamentary elections but with a significant number of votes would be nominated until the proportion of a third is attained.

“The meeting fully supported the implementation of the two third gender rule without further delays,” said Paul Otuoma.

Currently a parallel Bill sponsored by the Legal Affairs Committee is in its second reading stage with committee chair, Ainabkoi MP Samuel Chepkonga refusing pressure to withdraw it in preference for Duale’s.

The Bill has been criticized for its proposal to have the gender rule implemented progressively.

http://citizentv.co.ke/news/parliament-to-publish-bills-before-deadline/