Senator Gitura condemns move to scrap Senate
Muranga Senator and Deputy Speaker Kembi Gitura. He said the senate is a creation of the constitution and was the gate keeper in ensuring devolution succeeded.
What you need to know:
- The motion on dissolution of the Senate is expected to be introduced to parliament by Mr Kang’ata who ironically is from the same county and constituency as Mr Gitura.
The Deputy Senate Speaker Mr Kembi Gitura has strongly condemned the move by members of the National Assembly to scrap the senate.
He termed efforts by Kiharu MP Irungu Kang’ata to table a motion that seeks to dissolve the senate as ‘ignorant’ and contrary to the constitution.
The Murang’a County senator said the Senate was a creation of the constitution and was the gate keeper in ensuring devolution succeeded.
“Anyone who wants to do away with the senate is acting out of ignorance and must properly read article 96 (1) on devolution,” said Mr Gitura while speaking at a prize giving ceremony at Kiaguthu Boys High School on Sunday.
The motion on dissolution of the Senate is expected to be introduced to parliament by Mr Kang’ata who ironically is from the same county and constituency as Mr Gitura.
The Deputy Speaker who laughed off the move by MPs said the Senate had a role to stand up to the rights of the Counties and had an over sight role over the devolved units.
“It would require a referendum to scrap the Senate as the constitution states, and that would be a hard task to convince Kenyans to vote for the scraping of the senate,” he added.
Mr Gitura also denounced the passing of the Revenue Bill by the National Assembly which ignored amendments that the senate had made.
He termed the move as an act in futility adding that if the bill is assented to as it is, that would be unconstitutional.
He advised that if the input by the Senate would be ignored, then the Speaker of the National Assembly was supposed to come out clear on the issue and create a mediation committee to re-look at the bill again and come up with a way forward.
And commenting on the supremacy battle between senate and the National Assembly, the Deputy Senate Speaker denied there was a tussle but said every elected leader should understand their position and duties.
“There is no supremacy battle between the two houses and even if there was, all leaders ought to understand their roles,” said Mr Gitura.
