AG denies delaying crucial electoral Bill

The Attorney-General on Wednesday deflected the blame directed at his office for the delay in presenting the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Bill, 2011, for assent.

“The delay is as a result of procedural steps between Parliament and the AG’s office before a Bill gets signed to become law,” the State Law Office said.

This Bill lays the foundation for electoral zones and setting up the electoral commission.

Attorney-General Amos Wako, who is abroad on an official trip, said that even though Parliament approved the Bill on May 31, it was not until June 15 that the National Assembly forwarded it for him to put final touches and to present to the President.

Upon receipt of the Bill and Hansard records of the proceedings prior to the Third Reading, Mr Wako said, he spent seven days going through the documents and had thus finalised his bit.

He said he submitted the Bill to Parliament for approval on June 21. “This was particularly crucial as the Bill had been extensively amended before passage.

“It is also the procedure that before a Bill is presented for assent, the Clerk must certify it as a true copy of the Bill as passed by the National Assembly,” the AG said in a statement signed by Dominic Onyango, the public relations officer at the State Law Office.

On Wednesday, the clerk of the National Assembly, Mr Patrick Gichohi said: “It was only last week that the Bill came for verification. It has been verified by our legal department.”

It is understood that the Bill is awaiting consultation between the Speaker and the AG over a contentious clause.

Justice minister Mutula Kilonzo and the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution have accused the AG of being an impediment to the implementation of the new law.