Senator tables Bill to set up county gazettes

Nandi Senator Stephen Sang accompanied by Mosop MP Stephen Bitok addresses the press at Ndalat on October 11, 2014. The Office of the County Printer Bill 2014, sponsored by Senator Sang, proposes the establishment of the office of the county printer and allows for printing and publication of a county gazette. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA |

What you need to know:

  • The Bill sponsored by Nandi Senator Stephen Sang, proposes the establishment of the office of the county printer and allows for printing and publication of a county gazette.
  • According to Article 199 of the County Governments Act, all laws passed by the county assembly and assented to by the governor must be published in both the county and the Kenya Gazette.

Each county government will be able to gazette laws passed by its assembly if a Bill seeking to devolve the publication of laws is approved by the Senate.

The Bill sponsored by Nandi Senator Stephen Sang, proposes the establishment of the office of the county printer and allows for printing and publication of a county gazette.

The Office of the County Printer Bill 2014, which will be introduced before the Senate once lawmakers resume after the Christmas holiday, says the county press will liaise with the government printer to reduce duplications of documents.

Mr Sang said the proposed laws aims at addressing failure by most counties to implement laws passed by the assembly due to delays in publication by the government printer.

“The principal object of this Bill is to establish the office of the county printer in 47 counties,” Mr Sang said, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Delegated Legislation.

IMPLEMENTATION DELAYED
The Constitution requires that laws passed and approved should be published seven days after assent.

According to Article 199 of the County Governments Act, all laws passed by the county assembly and assented to by the governor must be published in both the county and the Kenya Gazette.

However most counties have complained that their laws are published after seven days, delaying implementation. Mr Sang said the establishment of the office of the printer in each county was necessitated by the provisions of the County Government Act, which mandates publication of Bills and other documents in a county gazette.

“The Act does not, however, provide for the establishment of the Office of a County Printer that would publish such gazettes. The county printer shall publish the county gazette at least once every week,” he said.