House committee backs extension of Commission for Implementation of the Constitution term

CIC chairperson Charles Nyachae

A committee of the National Assembly wants the term of the Commission for Implementation of the Constitution (CIC) extended for a year after it ends in December this year.

The chairman of the National Assembly’s Constitution Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC) Njoroge Baiya (Githunguri MP) on Friday gave the strongest indication that his panel will back the extension of CIC’s term.

Speaking at Flamingo Hotel in Mombasa during a CIOC retreat on Friday that discussed progress in the implementation of the Constitution, Mr Baiya said the one year extension of the constitution implementation deadline by Parliament to August 27 2016 required CIC’s presence to oversee the implementation. Recently, the National Assembly extended time to implement scheduled sections of the 2010 Constitution by a year after the August 27 deadline elapsed. This means Parliament has up to August 2016 to conclude on all enacted and pending legislation.

“The term of CIC is pegged on implementation of Constitution and if implementation of the Constitution has been extended by one year, then it is only right their (CIC) term is extended by one year to oversee the implementation,” said Baiya when The Standard On Sunday sought clarification on the matter.

Earlier on, Baiya expressed concerns that the issue was likely to face stiff opposition from Members of Parliament owing to CIC’s past stand on issues such as the management of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). “Your guess is as good as mine,” said Baiya when a reporter sought his position on the extension of the CIC’s term.

“MPs will be divided over whether to extend the term of the commission,” he said.

Meanwhile, the office of the Attorney General came under heavy criticism for failing to send a representative to the meeting.

Baiya said the AG’s office was critical in the implementation of the Constitution and its absence derailed the discussion on critical issues in the implementation process. Attorney General Githu Muigai was to preside over the opening of the retreat.