Kenya’s National Assembly to vote on bills extending terms, offering them immunity from prosecution

Speaker of the national Assembly Justin Muturi

NAIROBI: MPs plan to vote on two constitutional bills, one extending their terms by four months and the other keeping them safe from prosecution.

The Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill No 1 , which seeks to change the date of the election from August to December, will come for a re-vote tomorrow, on the same day as the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill No 2, that will cushion members from the long arm of the law in the course of performing their parliamentary functions.

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi confirmed the two bills will be in the order paper tomorrow, just two days after MPs returned from a one-month recess.

The bill on changes to the election date, which is sponsored by Ugenya MP David Ochieng, received a new lease of life after it initially fell through for failing to garner the necessary two-thirds majority to move it to the third reading.

"The further vote on the motion for the second reading of the Constitution of Kenya sponsored by Hon David Ochieng shall be undertaken in the afternoon of Thursday October 1. I have requested the House Business Committee to also consider prioritising the consideration in the Committee of the Whole House and third reading of the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill No 2," said the speaker.

The other bill sponsored by Peter Kaluma (Homa Bay) easily garnered the required numbers during the second reading and will proceed to the committee stage for any further amendments before the final vote by MPs. The speaker said he had allowed extra time for the vote on the bills to be taken "in view of the fact that members have just returned from recess".