Shoot-to-kill Bill: MPs should guard the Constitution and do no harm

Kenya: Parliament reopened Tuesday to a crowded agenda. It includes the approval of members of a new House Business Committee; the tabling and discussion of the Supplementary Budget and Budget Policy Statement; revisiting the VAT Act to revoke the 16% VAT on some items; discussing rising insecurity; the approval of the National Flag, Emblem and Names (Amendment) Bill; and debate the Marriage Bill, the National Police Service (Amendment) Bill 18 of 2013, the National Police Service Commission (Amendment) Bill 17 of 2013, and the Protection Against Domestic Violence Bill.

All these are important issues for the wellbeing of the country. We, however, wish to single out the two Government-sponsored Bills relating to policing and ask MPs to give them due and special consideration as the consequences of not doing so would be rueful for the country both in the short- and long-term.