Jubilee relies on Cord case to block debate

The Jubilee Coalition intends to block the Senate’s debate on the recently passed security laws by raising a legal hitch.

Deputy Majority Leader in the Senate Charles Keter said Jubilee senators will tomorrow turn up in the chamber and petition Speaker Ekwee Ethuro to rule on the legality of the debate since the Cord coalition had filed a case in court seeking to annul the new law.

“We respect the Constitution. Jubilee senators will attend the special sitting on Tuesday but first we will ask for a ruling from the Speaker because we cannot engage in an irregularity,” he said in a telephone interview.

Mr Ethuro called for a special sitting of the Senate on Tuesday following a request by Senate Minority Leader Moses Wetang’ula and 15 other senators for a session to discuss the Security Laws (Amendment) Act.

“We have only one agenda. To deliberate on the security laws. The sitting will be on Tuesday afternoon,” he said.

The senators argued that the Bill should have been brought to the Senate for concurrence because it has provisions which affect operations of counties.

SPECIAL SITTING

On Sunday, Mr Keter, who is the Kericho senator, accused his Cord counterparts of pushing for the special sitting of the senate over the new laws even as their leaders in the coalition filed a case in court, making it illegal to debate the matter.

“It is sub judice which means we will not talk about it. They are the ones who took the case to court. Why were they in a hurry if they wanted the Senate to discuss it?” he asked.

Senate Majority Chief Whip Beatrice Elachi questioned the special sitting and wondered which standing orders were used to recall the House.

“What are we going to discuss? The laws came into force when they were assented to by President Uhuru Kenyatta,” she said.

The senators spoke as Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria warned that Jubilee will expel any of its senators who take part in the debate.

Speaking at the PCEA Kirangari Church, he asked the lawmakers to disrupt the debate. “Jubilee senators should either avoid the session or use all means possible, including disrupting it the same way Cord MPs attempted to disrupt Parliament,” he advised.