Senators yesterday said National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi is “constantly” undermining the Senate's role in law making.
Senators said Majority Leader in the National Assembly Aden Duale is usurping the role of the two speakers and is determining which Bills are to be debated.
Migori Senator Wilfred Machage said called for the removal of Muturi and Duale.
Mombasa Senator Omar Hassan said Muturi has reduced the process of legislation to making a “charade”. He said senators will start reacting to “this petulance” to send a firm message that they have had enough of him.
Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba said the country is facing a constitutional crisis due to failure by Muturi to “consult, act in good faith and common sense”.
“If the process of debating is ignored as we have seen and Muturi keeps acting in bad faith, there is no need to wait until December to hold the referendum,” he said.
“Let’s have the referendum today and solve this problem".
Senators and governors have been pushing for a referendum to enhance the role of the senate in law making.
Nyeri Senator Mutahi Kagwe said Muturi has thrown decency out of the window and adopted a fighting spirit.
He said this has only divided Parliament and the country.
“These individuals are too narrow-minded to think their names and the constitution are one and the same thing”.
The sentiments started when Senate Speaker Ekwee Ethuro announced that Muturi had rejected the proposed amendment to the National Flag, Emblem and Names Act by senators.
Ekwee had ruled that the Act concerns the counties as provided under Article 110 (3) of the constitution, Muturi said it does not and ruled that the Senate has no business debating it.
The National Assembly also amended two Police Acts and the Marriage Bill without involving senators who who argue that they concern counties.
In the momerandum to the two Bills, Duale declares that they do not affect the counties.
Yesterday, Ethuro appointed four senators to constitute a mediation committee to resolve issues on whether the National flag and Emblems Act concerns the county governments.
The committee will also determine whether the National Police Service Act and National Police Service Commision Act concern the counties.
The senate committee comprises Kembi Gitura (Deputy Speaker), James Orengo (Siaya), Bonny Khalwale (Kakamega) and Kipchumba Murkomen (Elgeyo Marakwet).
Ekwee asked Muturi to immediately appoint members from the National Assembly to sit on the committee.
No comments:
Post a Comment