Full in-tray awaits Members of Parliament as sessions resume

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi

The National Assembly reopens this week with a full in-tray, including five crucial Bills to pass before the end of the year.

Copyright (Amendment) Bill, 2017 aimed at protecting artistes’ royalties is one the Bills that is expected to be passed and forwarded to President Uhuru Kenyatta to assent to.

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi said the House has prioritised consideration of the Bill after artistes made their request to President Kenyatta during the burial of the late musician John Nganga De’Mathew.

“The National Assembly, through the Departmental Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation, is in agreement with the Senate’s amendments,” he said.

The Bill was published by Leader of the Majority Aden Duale on September 18, 2017 and sent to the Senate by the National Assembly in July 2018.

In the in-tray too is the Finance Bill 2019 touching on the budget process that is crucial in assisting the country raise revenue. They include the Competition (Amendment) Bill 2019 and the Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2019.

“The House will prioritise Second Reading of the Bill to conclude on the revenue-raising measures related to the budget process,” Muturi said.

The Competition (Amendment) Bill 2019 seeks to clarify the abuse of the buyer’s power and gives the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) the right to investigate such conduct and to propose directions.

The president had declined to sign into law changes to the Insurance Act that allowed brokers and agents to continue receiving money from policyholders on behalf of insurers. He told the MPs in a memo that “an intermediary shall not receive any premiums on behalf of an insurer.”

A Bill that requires political parties to allocate money disbursed under the Political Parties Fund to election campaign activities of special interest groups is also in the offing.

The Representation of Special Interest Groups Laws (Amendment) Bill 2019 was introduced by the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee to promote the representation of women, persons with disabilities, youth, ethnic and other minorities and marginalised communities.

The National Assembly Speaker also said the House is expected to pass the mediated version of the Division of Revenue Allocation Bill 2019 by Thursday this week.

Apart from the Bills, the Speaker is expected to communicate to the House and forward the names of the National Land Commission (NLC) nominees to a parliamentary committee for requisite vetting.

“The House is expected to conclude the approval process within 21 days from September 11,” Muturi said.