MPs take on Matiang’i over Bill

What you need to know:

  • Dr Matiang’i yesterday appeared before the committee to explain the delay in making changes to the private member’s Bill sponsored by Nyeri Woman Representative Priscilla Nyokabi and the drafting of the Data Protection Bill.
  • The CS said the two Bills needed to be brought to Parliament at the same time, as having an access-to-information law without a data protection regime was dangerous.
  • Mr Baiya told the CS to stick to the two-week deadline. He said the Bill was already past the deadline by which it was supposed to have been passed by Parliament and forwarded to the President.

MPs on Thursday accused Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i of drafting a separate Bill on access to information to replace one generated in Parliament.

Constitution Implementation Oversight Committee Chairman Njoroge Baiya said the Information CS had been invited by the Energy Committee to discuss the Bill but he declined, saying the ministry was working on its own version.

Dr Matiang’i yesterday appeared before the committee to explain the delay in making changes to the private member’s Bill sponsored by Nyeri Woman Representative Priscilla Nyokabi and the drafting of the Data Protection Bill.

The CS said the two Bills needed to be brought to Parliament at the same time, as having an access-to-information law without a data protection regime was dangerous.

Mr Baiya told the CS to stick to the two-week deadline. He said the Bill was already past the deadline by which it was supposed to have been passed by Parliament and forwarded to the President.

The CS also defended himself against claims that he had ignored the invitations of the Energy committee, saying he had not received such invitation.