By Patrick Beja
Mombasa, Kenya: The Senate has been urged to forge close ties with county assemblies to ensure smooth operations of the counties.
Prof Peter Wanyande, a commissioner with the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution (CIC), said the Senate must cultivate a close working relation with county assemblies to enhance the role of protecting and defending the counties.
“The Senate should establish good working relations with governors and county assemblies to ensure they perform,” Wanyande said.
He said this during a presentation on relations between the Senate and various levels of Government during a senators’ retreat in Mombasa over the weekend.
CIC chairman Charles Nyachae among other speakers addressed participants.
Prof Wanyande said in playing an oversight role in the counties, the Senate was charged with determining whether a governor should be removed or not.
He explained that while impeaching the governor, the county assembly would forward its report rejecting him in two days and the Senate would institute a committee to investigate the matter.
If certified with the charges by the county assembly, the Senate would then make its recommendations to the president to remove the governor.
Chairman of the Senate Devolution Committee Mr Kipchumba Murkomen said all Bills of interest to counties at the National Assembly should be forwarded to the Senate to be assessed.
The senators asked CIC to assist them in ensuring they gave their input in all the Bills affecting the counties.
“We have a constitutional duty to amend Bills to ensure counties are protected,” said Homa Bay Senator Otieno Kajwang.
