LEGISLATIVE SUMMIT

MCAs want Senate to fast-track bills for counties

Say it is delaying the smooth implementation of devolution

Nominated Senator Agnes Zani.
Nominated Senator Agnes Zani.
Image: FILE

MCAs want the Senate to expedite the approval of pending bills touching on counties.

They spoke yesterday during the start of the fourth annual legislative summit at Grand Royal Swiss Hotel in Kisumu. 

Among the pending bills are the County Retirement Pension Schemes, Inter-Governmental Relations, County Printers, Impeachment Procedure, County Attorney Bill 2018 and County Solicitor.

The MCAs said the bills before the Senate need to be passed to allow the smooth implementation of devolution.

County Assembly Forum acting secretary general Rebah Wabwile said the delay hinders proper delivery of services. She said they have been waiting in vain for the Senate to pass the crucial bills.

More than 4,000 delegates attended the summit that brought together senators, MCAs and devolution stakeholders.

Wabwile said the Senate has failed to implement the resolutions from the third annual legislative summit held in Mombasa.

She urged President Uhuru Kenyatta and Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka to intervene to ensure resolutions of the previous summit are fully implemented.

 “We are appealing to the Senate to speedily pass the Retirement Pension Scheme Bill and that on the ward development fund,” she added.

The ward legislators are also demanding proper car and mortgage grants.

“The MCAs should be enjoying the benefits just like the MPs and senators. We are all elected leaders and we deserve to be treated fairly," Wabwile said.

She said the county and national governments have not done much to protect the interests of people with disability.

Wabwile said the county and national governments have allocated insufficient cash to fund programmes of the people with disability.

She also rooted for the implementation of two-thirds gender rule. “The National Assembly should hasten the passing of the bill to ensure equal representation," Wabwile said.

Nominated Senator Agnes Zani told the ward representatives that Senate is working to ensure that all the pending bills are passed into law.

She said the bill on retirement pension scheme is in the second reading.  Zani asked the MCAs to work closely with senators to ensure proper implementation of devolution.

WATCH: The latest videos from the Star