House extends deadline of Bills, proposes sanctions

By Steve Mkawale

Parliament has unanimously voted to extend the constitutional deadline of two crucial devolution Bills that had stalled before the House.

Members agreed to extend the timeline for the County Government Bill and the Public Finance Management Bill by five months.

Earlier, the legislators proposed serious sanctions against Cabinet ministers who fail to publish Bills with constitutional deadlines on time.

The sanctions came even as the legislators considered that it was the second time they were being asked to extend the timelines for Bills whose deadlines had either expired or were about to.

Early this year, MPs extended the timelines for the publication of three key land Bills for 60 days following a delay blamed on the Executive.

Parliament was forced to sit for long hours   to pass the National Land Commission Bill, the Land Bill and the Land Registration Bill.

On Tuesday, during an informal meeting known as a Kamukunji, legislators reprimanded ministers.

oversight

They claimed the Executive was trying to frustrate the oversight role of Parliament by delaying the publication of the Bills.

The chairman of the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee Abdikadir Mohammed said they would impose financial sanctions on any minister who breaches the agreed timelines.

“The responsible ministry will also be barred from transacting any business on the floor of the House until the required legislation is published,” said the Mandera MP.

The County Government Bill was published on February 18, 2012. Parliament debated and passed the Bill on February 23, but President Kibaki returned it Parliament on a presidential memorandum, which is yet to be considered.

MPs have also demanded that the VP, who is also the Leader of Government Business, tables in the House a schedule of the dates proposed for publication of the outstanding legislation.