House Committee rejects extension bid for Transition Authority

The fate of the Transition Authority appeared to have been sealed after the National Assembly Committee on Implementation of the Constitution rejected its request for an extension of its tenure.

Githunguri MP Njoroge Baiya, the chairman of the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee, dismissed the Senate’s efforts to extend the term of the authority via a Bill to amend the Constitution.

Mr Baiya said the TA had completed its crucial work and could now leave it to the Intergovernmental Relations Committee under the Ministry of Devolution.

EARLIEST DATE

The earliest the Bill by the Senate Legal Affairs and Human Rights team can be considered is May, two months after the expiry of the TA’s mandate, as there has to be at least 90 days between the First and the Second Reading.

After it has been passed by the Senate by a two-thirds majority, the Bill would then need to be considered by the National Assembly, with at least 90 days between the First and Second Reading.

On Tuesday, TA chairman Kinuthia Wamwangi said the agency requires more time to complete “core work” and that should its term end on March 4, as required by law, it would jeopardise the devolution process.

“Our role is to ensure the implementation of devolution which is a new system of governance and not merely transfer of power. We also have to see to it that the two systems work smoothly which is yet to be done,” he said.

However, he was put to task to explain why devolution would be at risk yet agencies supposed to take over TA’s remaining role were in place.