NGOs petition President over bills

By ISAAC MESO

Civil Society groups have formally lodged a petition with President Uhuru Kenyatta over the Public Benefit Organisations (PBO) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2013, and the Kenya Information Communications (Amendment) Bill, 2013.

The group led by Fredrick   Awuor, a civil rights activist, said if  passed, the Miscellaneous Bill  will have  serious  ramifications  on Kenya’s social and  economic development.

“The Bill, if passed  will not only constrain the civil society’s contribution  to national development, but also make the attainment of socio-economic rights more difficult,” he said.

The activists were speaking  during a meeting on Tom Mboya Street in Nairobi yesterday, when they sought signatures from members of the public to complement the petition. Awuor said implementation of the Bill would violate civil society organisations’ freedom of association.

Contentious issues

The activists said the Bill, which plans to limit NGOs  from receiving more than 15 per cent of their total funding from donors among other things, was in bad taste and should not become law.

He said they would also present the petition to Attorney General Githu Muigai and Cabinet Secretary  for  Devolution Anne Waiguru.

The activists’ move comes just  a day after State House Spokesman Manoah Esipisu said although the President had received the Bill, he would return it to Parliament to iron out some of the contentious issues.

The Bill also proposes formation of a federation chaired by the Government to receive and distribute funds on behalf of the civil society organisations.