New Bill may reduce NCIC members

NAIROBI, KENYA: The number of commissioners in the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) may be slashed drastically if a new draft Bill is approved by the National Assembly.

The draft National Cohesion and Peace Building Bill 2014 proposes the body be headed by a chairperson and two commissioners, down from the current 12 officials. In the current Act, the commission not only has a Chairman and eight commissioners but also has three slots for the Ombudsman, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights and the Gender Commission.

This development comes amid mounting calls from Kenyans who want to see the number of commissioners in constitutional commissions reduced to the bare minimum to tame the spiralling wage bill. Commissioners often get millions of shillings each month in salaries and allowances. Under the draft Bill, the NCIC chairperson shall be appointed for a single term of six years and is not eligible for re-appointment. Commissioners will also serve a single term of five years without reappointment.

Currently, the chairperson and the commissioners shall hold office for a term of three years and shall be eligible for re-appointment. The draft Bill also creates the Inter-Agency Committee on National Cohesion and Peace Building and the Directorate of National Cohesion and National Values to handle cohesion issues.