NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 12 – Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetangula has directed three House Committees to conduct public participation hearing on President William Ruto’s legislative proposals which seek to set the official opposition, gender formula top proposals.
In his communication to MPs, Wetangula stated that the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) which is chaired by Tharaka MP Gitonga Murugara is to consider the President’s proposal for the implementation of the Two-Thirds Gender Rule and the establishment of the position of the Leader of Official Opposition and parliamentary oversight of the Executive.
In his letter, to the Speakers of the House on Friday, President proposed the implementation of the elusive gender rule through a top-up of 40 more women in the National Assembly and the Senate as is the case in county assemblies.
Past attempts to enact the gender law have hit a brick wall in the National Assembly and Senate.
The Procedure and House Rules Committee is to come up with proposals to amend the Standing Orders to strengthen parliamentary oversight of the Executive.
Wetangula has further directed the joint parliamentary Ad hoc committee on a proposal to amend the constitution to entrench the Constituency Development, Senate Oversight, and National Government Affirmative Action funds.
“CDF empowers legislators to perform their function of representation more effectively by keeping them in touch with the pulse of their constituencies. The CDF also makes the constituency a forum for continuous engagement on critical issues, and effective mobilisation to solve problems in the spirit of collective action. There is, therefore, a strong case to be made, rooted in the essence of the very idea of representative democracy, for the CDF to exist under an appropriate framework,” the president said.
President Ruto’s request comes amid confusion over the legality of the devolved fund which the Supreme Court in August termed
he constituency fund illegal after nullifying the already repealed CDF Act of 2013.
The House Speaker says the MPs will debate the President’s proposals upon their resumption from the long December break.
