Speaker Justin Muturi recalls MPs to amend the Kenya’s anti-doping law

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi. PHOTO: FILE

NAIROBI: National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has recalled MPs to approve changes to the Anti-doping law.

In a legal notice published in the Kenya Gazette released yesterday, the Speaker asked MPs to show up for the special session scheduled for Thursday May 26, 2016.

The Speaker said the main agenda will be to rework the Anti-Doping (amendment) Bill, 2016 to make sure it complies with the requirements of the World Anti-Doping Agency.

".. 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 9.30 am, and 2.30 p.m. for purposes of— consideration in all stages of the Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2016," reads Speaker Muturi's notice.

The sudden recall of MPs who are on a month-long recess is yet another move from the National Assembly to pull all stops to ensure that Kenya is cleared from the global watch-list of countries with sports' cheats.

First, the Speaker waived the six-month requirement within which an Act can be reviewed by Parliament, and he wants the changes made within a day and the new Bill with the changes submitted to the Senate that very day.

The second, is that Speaker Muturi has actually called a special sitting, perhaps showing the seriousness with which Kenya is keen to get out of the doping nightmare.
The Speaker added that the MPs will also be expected to deal with "any other business related to the International Anti-Doping policies".

Wada had on May 12 raised the red flag on a hurriedly enacted Anti-Doping Act 2016 citing the deletion of some terminologies, criminalization of doping and inclusion of government in a supposedly independent Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya.

Wada's Director General, David Howman had promised that once the changes are made, Kenya will be cleared.

"Kenya was declared non-compliant because certain laws were not consistent with the World Anti-Doping Code. If the laws are amended as agreed today, I have no doubt that Wada's Compliance Review Committee would recommend that the Foundation Board revoke Adak's non-compliance status. I am confident that this can be done very quickly," he said Wednesday.

Kenya's Sports' minister Hassan Wario and his Foreign Affairs counterpart Amina Mohammed travelled to Canada to promise that a review of the law will be done without undue delay to comply with Wada's requirements.

Also on National Assembly's agenda is the approval of nominees for appointment to the National Government Constituency Development Fund Committees. This will allow the National CDF Board to disburse millions of shillings to the MPs' constituencies.

The MPs are also expected to do the First Reading of the Bribery Bill, 2016 – the introduction of the law in the House.