President Uhuru Kenyatta declared a national mourning until Moi is buried, during which flags will fly at half-mast. /CFM.
NAIROBI, Kenya Feb 6 – The National Assembly is set to convene on Monday afternoon for a special sitting that will enable legislators convey tributes for former president Daniel Arap Moi who died on Tuesday.
The MPs were recalled by Speaker Justin Muturi who wants them alter the National Assembly’s calendar.
A request for the special sitting is contained in a letter by House Majority Leader Aden Duale to Speaker Justin Muturi who has approved.
Members of Parliament are expected to adopt a motion to have the House resume on Thursday instead of Tuesday to enable them to attend the burial of the former Head of State. Moi’s body will lie-in-state at Parliament buildings from Saturday to Monday for public viewing ahead of Wednesday burial.
“For the altercation of Calendar of the House proposing that the House resumes for the Fourth Session on 13 February 2020 instead of 11 February 2020 in view of the proclamation made by President Uhuru Kenyatta regarding the demise of the second President of Kenya,” read part of the agenda that is to be handled by the MPs.
During the session, the MPs are also expected to convey tributes to former President Moi who died aged 95 after battling a long illness.
The House will also be informed of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s message regarding persons he nominated for appointment as Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries during his state of the nation address in January.
Muturi had in January put off the vetting of two Cabinet Secretaries and six Principal Secretary nominees until the house resumes.
The Speaker quoted National Assembly Standing Orders 42(2) which he said allowed him to cause the commencement of the necessary vetting process as contemplated under the Public Appointment (Parliamentary Approval) Act and Standing Order 45.
This is after President Kenyatta nominated former Nyeri Senator Mutahi Kagwe and outgoing Environment and Forestry Principal Secretary Betty Maina to head the Health docket and that of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development respectively.
Vetting for Mutahi and Maina will be handled by the Committee on Appointments which is chaired by the Speaker while that of the 6 PSs will be transmitted to the relevant House committee which will then present its report within 14 days.
Already preparations for the burial of President Moi are in top gear with the government announcing that President Kenyatta will lead the nation in viewing his body which will lie-in-state at Parliament buildings from Saturday through to Monday ahead of his burial on Wednesday at his Kabarak home in Nakuru County.
The announcement was made on Thursday by the Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua who chairs the inter-ministerial committee on the burial of the retired President.
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