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Nyachae opposes law deadline extension

NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 12 – The chairman of the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution Charles Nyachae has opposed any planned extension of timelines for the enactment of 19 crucial laws.

In an interview with Capital News on Friday, Mr Nyachae said that Parliament was capable of beating the August 27 deadline to have the laws in place.

“These timelines were very tight even from the beginning anyway… and from our perspective, those timelines are doable and that is why as CIC we have worked as long as it has been necessary in order for us to turn this Bills around and ensure that on its part, Parliament will do the same,” he said.

He however urged Members of Parliament to scrutinise the Bills carefully to ensure they don’t pass shoddy laws.

He acknowledged concerns by Kenyans about the ability of Parliament to beat the August 27 deadline.

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka last week said the Executive would seek Parliament’s approval to extend passage of these laws beyond August 27.

Parliament is supposed to debate and pass 19 key constitutional Bills within eight sessions before the collapse of the timeframe.

It takes an average of two weeks to debate a Bill in Parliament.

The Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee had wanted Parliament to extend parliamentary sittings including on weekends to beat the deadline.

If the CIOC wishes are fulfilled, the pending Bills could be enacted very close to the August 27 deadline. Currently Parliament has eight sessions left between now and August 27.

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The committee had derived a formula to pass five Bills in a week and announced that MPs have just 13 days, to pass the 18 laws.

Mr Nyachae has also dismissed claims by Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Mutula Kilonzo that the commission is delaying the process by holding onto the bills.

He said the remaining Urban Areas and Cities Bill, Environment and Land Court Bill and the Power of Mercy Bill were forwarded on Thursday.

He clarified that the commission was however still holding on to the Public Finance and Management Bill which will be resolved next week at a meeting with the Prime Minister.

He said that the two executive ministries submitted two separate bills on Public Financial Management Bill but the Treasury and Ministry of Local Government could not agree on the contents.

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