BBI Bill tabled at County Assembly of Kisumu for Debate

Speaker of the County Assembly of Kisumu Elisha Jack Oraro address the press within the Assembly after the Constitution of Kenya Amendment Bill 2020 has been tabled today for debate-Photo By Dickson Odhiambo.

 

 By Dickson Odhiambo

February 2, 2021

BBI Bill tabled at County Assembly of Kisumu for Debate

The Constitution of Kenya Amendment Bill 2020 has been finally tabled at the County Assembly of Kisumu for adoption or rejection without being amended.

The Bill seeks to amend the Constitution of Kenya 2010 by a popular initiative and 24 County Assemblies across the country are needed to pass it first.

East Seme Ward Representative Seth Okumu tabled the Bill to the floor of the County Assembly of Kisumu on behalf of the County Assembly's Majority Leader Kenneth Onyango who was away on official duty.

Okumu says he has tabled the Bill in line with Article 257{5} of the Constitution of Kenya 2010.

The County Assembly has been on recess and has convened today for a special sitting on tabling of the Bill to its floor.

After the Bill was presented to the floor of the Assembly, it was read for the first time and the Speaker of the County Assembly of Kisumu Elisha Jack Oraro committed it to the committee of the Administration of Oath, Justice, Legal Affairs and Good Governance.

Speaker has directed the Committee to carry out the process of public participation by Friday this week and bring a report back to the Assembly in accordance to the standing orders.

He says due to the guidelines on Covid 19, a large gathering will not be needed at the Assembly and urge members of the Public to present their views through a memorandum written to the County Assembly’s clerk by Monday next Week on February 8,2021.

Oraro says a section of the Public will be invited within the Assembly precincts for the process of public participation on the Bill.

Speaker Oraro says the Bill will then be read for the second and third reading after the Committee brings its report to the Assembly.

Oraro says there will be no amendments that will be done by the Assembly on the Bill, adding that the Assembly has an obligation or passing or rejecting it without any amendment.

The Objective of the Constitution of Kenya Amendment Bill 2020 is to amend the Constitution of Kenya 2010 to address issues arising from its implementation including the need to resolve the issues of divisive election arising from electoral processes as well as strengthening the structure of devolution and increase resource allocation to the counties.

The other issues that the Bill seeks to address also include strengthening and harmonizing specified roles and functions of the Bicameral legislature as well as implementing economic and social rights under Article 43 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010.

Another issue is to strengthen the national ethos by specifying the responsibility of citizens and promote inclussivity and gender equity in governance.

The proposed constitutional reforms originate from the views of the Kenyans citizens expressed through the Building Bridges Initiative {BBI}.

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