Justice team won’t handle Bill

The task of reviewing a crucial electoral Bill has been moved from the troubled Justice and Legal Affairs Committee to that overseeing the implementation of the new Constitution.

House Speaker Kenneth Marende said he decided to commit the Independent and Electoral and Boundaries Commission Bill to the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee after the House Business Committee expressed concern over “the inability” of the Justice team to consider Bills referred to it.

The 27-member oversight team will be expected to submit its report before May 23.

Mr Marende said he was confident that the committee would address “adequately issues pertaining to the Bill” given its number and membership.

However, two members of the Justice committee Mr Isaac Ruto (Chepalungu, ODM) and Ms Amina Abdalla (nominated, PNU) took issue with the decision.

They told the Speaker to take charge and ensure that his deputy, Mr Farah Maalim, stopped being a “stumbling block” in efforts to quickly resolve the wrangles in the committee.

They want the Speaker to intervene and have the Liaison Committee chaired by Mr Maalim to meet urgently and organise for election of a new chairperson.

But in his communication to the House on Wednesday, the Speaker said the challenges in the committee had adversely affected its operations.

“Despite my previous rulings, the issues facing the committee have yet to be resolved and the timely passage of the legislation required under the Constitution and which should be considered by the committee will adversely be affected,’’ he said.

Mr Ruto questioned the decision to involve the Oversight team, whose membership includes figures from the government.

“This appears to be a clear move to kill the independence of Parliament. It does not operate on the whims of the Executive. How is the Executive asked to scrutinise its own Bill?’’ he asked.

Reports by Njeri Rugene, Caroline Wafula and John Ngirachu