• The Houses have to dispense with the Division of Revenue Bill, 2019, the Finance Bill, 2019, County Governments (Amendment) Bill and the Copyright (Amendment) Bill, 2017 among others.
•The House will also vet and approve President Uhuru Kenyatta’s nominees to the National Land Commission.
Image: FILE
The National Assembly and the Senate resume sessions on Tuesday after a month-long recess with a full in-tray, including the crucial Bill on county revenue, to pass before the end of the year.
The Houses have to dispense with the Division of Revenue Bill, 2019, the Finance Bill, 2019, County Governments (Amendment) Bill and the Copyright (Amendment) Bill, 2017, among others.
The National Assembly, in particular, will also conclude on the Public Finance Management Act (Amendment) Bill, 2019, and the Public Finance Management (Amendment) Bill, 2019.
The House will also vet and approve President Uhuru Kenyatta’s nominees to the National Land Commission.
The Division of Revenue Bill has stagnated in Parliament for nearly three months after the Houses clashed on the amount that should be allocated to 47 counties as shareable revenue in the current financial year.
The stalemate plunged the devolved units into a serious cash crunch. The Bill, however, got a green light last week after Senators accepted the National Assembly’s proposal of Sh316.5 billion.
Speaker Justin Muturi said the mediated version of the Bill will be tabled in the houses and passed by Thursday before it is taken to the president for assent.
The Senate, in particular, will consider the Care and Protection of Child and Parent Bill. The Bill, which is coming up for First reading, ensures that a child parents' education is not cut off due to early pregnancy.
The House will also pass the Establishment of Children’s Home Bill as well the Control of Stray Bill that seeks to compel to compel dog owners to vaccinate the animal. Both Bills are coming up for Second reading.
Next week, the Senate will hold its second Mashinani sittings in Kitui.
The National Assembly, on the other hand, will consider and pass amendments to the Copyright (Amendment) Bill, 2017 from the Senate. The Bill aims at protecting artistes’ royalties.
National Assembly Speaker Justice Muturi said the House has prioritised the consideration of the Bill after artistes made their request to President Kenyatta during the burial of the late musician John Nganga De’Mathew.
“The National Assembly, through the departmental committee on Communication, Information and Innovation, is in agreement with the Senate’s amendments,” Muturi said.
Also in the in-tray for the lawmakers is the Finance Bill, 2019. The Bill, which is coming up for Second Reading in the National Assembly, provides for revenue-raising measures to finance the budget.
The House will also prioritise the passage of the Public Finance Management (Amendment) Bill, 2019, to allow counties to access at least 15 per cent of all revenue collected by the Kenya Revenue Authority in an event parliament delays to pass Division of Revenue.
“Given the recent experience with the Division of Revenue Bill, 2019, the passage of this bill would ensure that the minimum share of 15 per cent of all revenue collected by the national government as provided under Article 203 (2) would be accessible to the counties,” Muturi said.
The House will also consider the President’s reservations to the Parliamentary Service Bill, 2019. The President rejected the controversial Bill that gives the MPs enhanced perks.
The National Assembly will also consider the Representation of Special Interest Groups Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019. The proposed laws seeks to compel IEBC to ensure that party lists comply with the Constitution on representation.