Senate speaker Ken Lusaka [photo: People Daily]
Feb, 25th 2021 – Speakers of both the national assembly and the Senate have formed a technical committee that will oversee the process which the constitution of Kenya amendment bill 2020, that was passed by the requisite 24 County assemblies will take in both houses.
According to reports, Senate speaker Ken Lusaka and his national assembly counterpart Justin Muturi will lead the informal committee in proposing a joint seating in the committee stage of the bill. Lusaka has already received a number of the passed bills and the certificates of ratifications from county assemblies.
The BBI bill will be tabled in both houses for first reading after 24 county assemblies present the confirmation to parliament. Thereafter the inevitable joint select committee of justice and legal affairs will deliberate on the bill before it is brought back to the two houses for the second reading . If passed, the bill will now be handed over to the IEBC to prepare for a referendum.
The IEBC will however have to wait until a case that is in court to be heard and determined before organising for a referendum. A five judge bench stopped IEBC from setting dates of a referendum after the third way alliance filed a petition against the whole BBI process.
According to the National Assembly Majority Leader Amos Kimunya, a budget will be made for the referendum only after the actual dates have been set by the IEBC.
Speaking in Mombasa,Kimunya said that they still have time to plan. He said, “On the issue of the expected referendum, first of all, we need to know the dates. If the date is June, then it will be funded within this year.”
He added that the cost will come either after the dates have been set or they will be presented upfront. He said, “There are options on that cost, we still have time. Right now, it is too early, IEBC needs to first pronounce itself and some of the issues that are before court need to be cleared.”