General
Source: All Africa
The Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee yesterday agreed to merge the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights Bill and the National Gender and Equality Commission Bill. The move is aimed at clearing the controversy
over the sub-division of the mandates of the Kenya National Human Rights Commission in two.
Yesterday MPs who met at County Hall decided to combine the two Bills as per the demands of the current commissioners. The CIOC Vice Chairperson Millie Odhiambo also said MPs reached the consensus on the merging of the two proposed Bills. Ms Odhiambo had chaired a sub-committee whose members worked on the merging of the two Bills.
Yesterday Ms Odhiambo issued a stern warning to government ministries who were still withholding bills to release them immediately. She said MPs would as from today go ahead and publish Bills which would not have been handed over by end of business Tuesday. "We only have thirteen working days to pass these Bills and really we must move with speed," she said. Odhiambo ordered Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo to liase with the House Business Committee to have all the published Bills introduced in parliament immediately.
Journalists were kicked out the meeting as MPs sat to plan how to deal with the cabinet over the delayed bill. "We cannot sit with the media here as we plan to deal with the cabinet," Yatta MP Charles Kilonzo said. The MPs also blamed the cabinet for failing to hand over the names of three foreigners for approval as members of the vetting of Judges and Magistrates Board.
Yesterday House Speaker Kenneth Marende said the delay in the tabling of the three names could jeopardize the constitution of the board. As of yesterday parliament was already seized off four Bills while seven were still at the Attorney General while five were being held at the Commission on the Implementation of the Constitution.