Motion aimed at reducing number of MPs approved

By GEOFFREY MOSOKU

The number of members of Parliament may be reduced drastically if Mwingi Central MP Joe Mutambo gathers enough numbers to pass a constitutional amendment Bill.

Mutambo’s motion has already been approved by National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi and Parliament’s legal team is in the process of fine-tuning the various amendments that the MP wanted effected.

The legislator is seeking the support of his colleagues to reduce the number of constituencies to 141 from the current 290 and set the number of counties at ten.

Article 89 (1) states that there shall be 290 constituencies for the purposes of the election of the members of the National Assembly.

The Bill also seeks to scrap the position of county women representative.

Mutambo also wants the  number of counties reduced from 47 to 10, namely, Coast, Upper eastern, Lower eastern, Central, Nairobi, North Rift Valley, South Rift Valley, Nyanza, Western and North Eastern.

His Bill further proposes the scrapping of Article 81 (b) of the Constitution that provides for the one-third gender rule.  

“The objective of this Bill is to amend the Constitution to provide for the reduction on the membership of the National Assembly and the Senate. There is proposed deletion on the 47 women representatives, and 16 women members nominated to the Senate,” the memorandum of the Bill reads in part.

The Bill also seeks to set the number of Member of County Assembly at a maximum of 290 down from the current 1,450 elected MCAs. He also wants the provision for nominated MCAs scrapped. 

Mutambo’s Bill also proposes that the number of elected senators be reduced to 20, two per county with each of the ten counties electing a man and woman to what he terms as the Upper House.

Public participation

The Bill wants only six people to be nominated to the Senate with two members representing youths, persons with disabilities and marginalised communities.

According to the Constitution, a Bill such as Mutambo’s must go through a referendum. Once introduced to Parliament, the House shall debate the Bill and if supported, publicise it for public participation.

After Parliament passes a Bill to amend the Constitution, the Speakers of the two Houses of Parliament shall jointly submit to the President the Bill for assent, publication and certification that the Bill has been passed by Parliament in accordance with this Article.

“Subject to clause (5), the President shall assent to the Bill and cause it to be published within 30 days after the Bill is enacted by Parliament.

If a Bill to amend the Constitution proposes an amendment relating to a matter specified in Article 255(1)—(a) the President shall, before assenting to the Bill, request the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to conduct, within 90 days, a national referendum for approval of the Bill; and;

(b) within 30 days after the chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has certified to the President that the Bill has been approved in accordance with Article 255(2), the President shall assent to the Bill and cause it to be published.