In order to fully comply with WADA regulations, Kenya needs to adopt the negotiated amendments as agreed with the World Anti Doping Agency, present the amended clauses to Parliament, get presidential assent, then present the amended Bill passed by Kenya’s Parliament to WADA/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 20 – The Speaker of National Assembly Justin Muturi has recalled MPs from their month long break to approve amendments to the Anti-Doping law and to introduce the Bribery Bill.
A notice appearing in Friday’s edition of the Kenya Gazette says the Special Sitting slated for Thursday will handle the consideration in all stages of the Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and any other business related to international anti-doping policies.
“It is notified for the information of Members of the National Assembly and the general public that two special sittings of the Assembly shall be held in the National Assembly Chamber in the Main Parliament Buildings, Nairobi, on Thursday, 26th May, 2016, at 9.30am, and 2.30pm,” reads the notice.
This comes after Kenya’s delegation led by Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Amina Mohamed, met with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) officials led by Director General David Howman in Montreal.
The Government of Kenya committed to expedite amendments to the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya Act as recommended by the World Anti Doping Agency.
READ: Kenya makes headway with WADA over anti-doping agency
In order to fully comply with WADA regulations, Kenya needs to adopt the negotiated amendments as agreed with the World Anti Doping Agency, present the amended clauses to Parliament, get presidential assent, then present the amended Bill passed by Kenya’s Parliament to WADA.
READ: World Anti-Doping Agency Declares Kenya Non-Compliant
WADA made it clear that Kenya will not be barred from competing in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil despite failing to adhere to WADA rules.
Kenya has already complied with six out of seven pre-requisite conditions for compliance with the World Anti Doping Code, with the only outstanding provision being that ADAK Bill is not fully compliant with the international sporting guideline as proposed by WADA.
Other members of the Kenyan delegation who attended the meeting included Solicitor General Njee Muturi, ADAK’s Chairman James Waweru, ADAK’s CEO, Japhter Rugut, Kenya’s Ambassador to Canada, John Lanyasunya.
President Uhuru Kenyatta last month signed into law an Anti-Doping Bill, creating a national testing authority and making doping an offence punishable by imprisonment.
Kenya thought it had been beaten the May 12 deadline imposed by WADA after parliament passed the anti doping law that would have seen the country conform to the agency’s stringent doping code that could allow the country to compete at the Olympics Games in Rio in August.
The country had missed two deadlines set by the WADA to show it was tackling cheating in sport.
The Special Sitting will seek the approval of the nominees for appointment to the National Government Constituency Development Fund Committees and the First Reading of the Bribery Bill, 2016.
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