Senate recalled from recess to debate electoral reforms report

Senators will once again have to interrupt their month-long vacation as a special sitting has been called for them to debate the report of the joint select committee on electoral reforms.

The special sitting will be held Wednesday with the report of the joint committee chaired by two members of the House, Siaya Senator James Orengo and Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi, top of the agenda.

In the National Assembly, the House Business Committee is expected to schedule the report for debate starting Wednesday as the agenda for the Tuesday sitting had been decided last week.

Senators will also have another go at the Second Reading of the Bill to change the Constitution and implement the one-third gender rule.

Nominated Senator Judith Sijeny has sponsored a Bill similar to the one by National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale that failed to get the support of 231 MPs.

Ms Sijeny will be hoping to get the required support of two-thirds of senators.

An attempt last week failed because there were not enough senators in the chamber for a vote to be called.

The nominated senator’s bid has the support of Attorney-General Githu Muigai and Public Service Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki but will need lawmakers’ backing to avoid the possible crisis that may arise if it is not passed.

BILL DEADLINE

The deadline for the Bill is August 27, the sixth anniversary of the Constitution’s promulgation, but it cannot realistically be passed by then as it still has to go to the National Assembly and have 90 days between the First and the Second Readings.

Last week, National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi sought to dispel fears there would be a crisis if the Bill is not passed as that would be expected to trigger sections of the Constitution that would lead to the dissolution of Parliament.

Mr Muturi said that with gender imbalance evident in all three arms of government, there would be no point in going after the National Assembly, which faces dissolution if the constitutional requirement is not fulfilled.

“I think it was mischievous for someone to suggest that it is possible to dissolve Parliament because Kenyans have failed to elect a sufficient number of people of one gender,” Mr Muturi told journalists in Mombasa.

The Speaker said MPs have been under pressure from the National Gender and Equality Commission, which has been writing to remind them that the Bill must be passed by August 27.