Siaya becomes first county to pass BBI Bill

The Siaya county assembly on Wednesday became the first in the country to approve the Building Bridges Initiative Amendment Bill.

The draft bill was passed during a special sitting that had earlier been gazetted by Speaker George Okode.

On Tuesday, the assembly held public participation across all the subcounties.

In an advert last week, the assembly invited residents to attend public participation forums in all the six subcounties or submit memoranda containing their views on the bill.

The pubic participation will be done on Tuesday while the memoranda was to be submitted to the office of the clerk before Tuesday.

“Article 196 (1) (b) of the Constitution read together with section 87 of the County Governments Act and Standing Order 129 (3) provides for public participation and involvement in the legislative and other business of the assembly and its committees,” the advert signed by the assembly clerk read.

Speaker George Okode is now expected to write a certificate to the speaker of National assembly and that of the Senate.

"Having followed procedures under the law, processed and approved the BBI constitutional amendment Bill unanimously. Am doing this right away," he told the media.

Speaking shortly after the passage of the Bill, Siaya Governor Cornel Rasanga asked other assemblies to emulate Siaya county assembly.

Counties within Nyanza region have started considering the draft bill a week after it was released to the 47 county assemblies.

IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati submitted the bill to the 47 county assemblies for approval or rejection.

It will require two-thirds approval or 24 county assemblies before Kenyans can take a vote in a referendum.

Chebukati said the speakers of the assemblies are required to submit the decision to speakers of the National Assembly and the Senate within three months of the date of the IEBC letter.