MPs upbeat over draft law debate

Kenyans moved closer to getting a new constitution on Tuesday when the revised draft constitution was tabled in Parliament.

The enthusiasm with which MPs greeted the document when it was presented by the chairman of the Select Committee on Constitution Review, Mr Mohammed Abdikadir , pointed to a House united in the resolve to break the 30-year stalemate over the enactment of a new constitution.

There was excitement in the Old Chambers where the MPs are now sitting to give way to renovations of the main chamber as they awaited the brief presentation by Mr Mohammed. Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Prime Minister Raila Odinga were also in parliament and left after the presentation.

Debate, which will take 30 days, is expected to kick off next week. The House started debating the President’s speech on Tuesday and this will take four sitting days.

House Speaker Kenneth Marende set the tone when he challenged legislators to seize the moment and approach debate with sobriety and patriotism to ensure that the House output reflected the aspirations of Kenyans.

”The 10th Parliament has been bestowed with a rare opportunity that is the preserve of a select few mortals to go to the annals of history as the Parliament which finally delivered a new Constitution for our country,” said Mr Marende.

He asked MPs to read the document and understand it so that they can debate from an informed position.

Consequently, Parliament has organised a three-day retreat where MPs will be taken through the entire document, ahead of the debate. The meeting, whose venue will be announced later, will be held between March 12 and 14.

Should the House approve the draft constitution without amendments, it will be submitted to the Attorney General for publication.

If they propose amendments, the AG will present the recommendations to the Committee of Experts within seven days for consultation and redrafting.