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Joint National Assembly, Senate team to vet IG

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi said that the decision follows consultation between him and his Senate counterpart, which agreed on the formation of a joint committee to handle the approval hearing/FILE

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi said that the decision follows consultation between him and his Senate counterpart, which agreed on the formation of a joint committee to handle the approval hearing/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya Feb 17 – Parliament will set up a joint committee with members from the National Assembly and Senate to vet the nominee for Inspector-General of Police, Joseph Kipchirchir Boinett.

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi said that the decision follows consultation between him and his Senate counterpart, which agreed on the formation of a joint committee to handle the approval hearing.

“In the interest of time and resources we have agreed as follows that the vetting of the nominee for appointment as the Inspector General shall be conducted jointly by the membership of the two Houses mandated to deal with issue of national security. The chairpersons of the two committees will co-chair the joint committee and the secretariat will comprise officers of the two Houses,” Muturi said.

House leaders came to the conclusion after studying the provisions of Article 245 of the Constitution on the nomination of Inspector-General which states that the approval will be handled by Parliament, which in the interpretation means both Houses.

The Speaker directed the National Assembly Committee on National Security and Administration chaired by Asman Kamama and the Senate Committee on National Security and Foreign Relations chaired by Senator Yusuf Haji to convene a sitting on Wednesday at the County Hall to come up with a working formula.

In his communication to the House, Muturi further directed that the quorum will by individual committee requirements; meaning that for a meeting to take place at least four Senators and at least seven Members of the National Assembly must be present.

Muturi directed the committee to table a joint report on the suitability of Boinett to serve as the IG by next Thursday.

“Unless a decision is reached by consensus any vote to be taken in the joint sitting of the committees shall be by separate Houses. This will ensure the numerical difference of the individual members representing the Houses in the jointly sitting has no effect of the joint sittings of the committees,” he stated.

The Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act gives Parliament 14 days for vetting and approval – the first seven days are for public participation and the rest for the preparation, tabling and debate of the report.

However Muturi clarified that in the event both Houses fail to approve or reject the nominee by the end of 14 days of the communication of the nomination to the House, Boinett will be automatically appointed.

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This means Boinett – who was nominated to the office last year following the resignation of David Kimaiyo – could formally take over at the helm of the police in March.

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