MPs approve more time to pass Bills
The National Assembly in a past session. In what was easily the largest turn-out in the House, MPs on August 25, 2015 showed up to approve a one-year extension of the deadline to pass the last batch of Bills to implement the Constitution. FILE PHOTO |
What you need to know:
- They also voted to take to the nest stage a Bill giving Parliament immunity against interference from the Judiciary to the next stage, but rejected another seeking to change the date of the election from August 2017.
- Lawmakers from 136 constituencies in marginalized areas were left smarting in defeat after a Bill to have the Equalisation Fund managed at the constituency level failed in the last stage by seven votes.
- The numbers turned in favour of Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma, with Speaker Justin Muturi preparing MPs for the voting by reminding them that the Bill would remove matters under consideration by Parliament and its committees from the jurisdiction of the courts until they are dealt with.
In what was easily the largest turn-out in the National Assembly, MPs on Tuesday evening showed up to approve a one-year extension of the deadline to pass the last batch of Bills to implement the Constitution.
They also voted to take to the next stage a Bill giving Parliament immunity against interference from the Judiciary, but rejected another seeking to change the date of the election from August 2017.
Lawmakers from 136 constituencies in marginalized areas were left smarting in defeat after a Bill to have the Equalisation Fund managed at the constituency level failed in the last stage by seven votes.
Each of the four matters before the House yesterday needed the approval of at least 233 MPs — or two thirds of the House — to pass.
The Bill to change the Constitution regarding managing the Equalisation Fund garnered 226 votes.
Sponsored by the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee, the motion on extending the deadline to August 2016 was first on the agenda and was approved by 260 votes against 11.
There was applause in the packed chambers as the numbers soared past the 233 required to approve the motion. There are 28 Bills that need to be passed by tomorrow.
However, the Bill to change the date of the election from August to December was not as lucky and fell by 15 votes. Only 216 MPs supported it, with 28 voting against it and four abstaining from the vote.
This means that — barring the publication of another Bill, which would also have to wait 90 days between the first and second reading and go through scrutiny — the elections in 2017 will be held in August.
The numbers turned in favour of Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma, with Speaker Justin Muturi preparing MPs for the voting by reminding them that the Bill would remove matters under consideration by Parliament and its committees from the jurisdiction of the courts until they are dealt with.
The Bill to have constituencies manage the Equalisation Fund will get a second chance at the third reading. The Bill's sponsor, Samburu West MP Lati Lelelit, acted fast to get the Speaker to give it a second chance by getting those supporting it to call for a second vote.
House members will vote on the Bill when they return from their recess, which starts Friday.
