The National Assembly on Wednesday begun the debate on the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2020, albeit on a heated note.
In what may tell of what lies ahead in the deliberations, a section of MPs questioned the procedure for introducing the bill.
Some, who have been vocal in their opposition to the bill, called for the postponement of the debate to allow them more time to read the report.
For starters, they raised issue with a letter from the Building Bridges Initiative secretariat requesting the Majority leader Amos Kimunya to move the bill.
Nominated MP David Sankok sought clarity on the procedure for introducing the bill in the House further asking if the timelines in Article 256 of the Constitution apply.
Speaker Justin Muturi informed the member that the 90-day period only applied if the amendments were under a parliamentary initiative.
Members sought clarity on the place of the secretariat’s letter which speaker Muturi said was admissible adding that the promoters had liberty to decide who moved the bill.
Some members sought more time to acclimatize themselves with the content of the report and demanded more time to read the report.
“We need more time to read this report so that we have quality debate. I beseech you to give us not less than seven days to read the report then debate the bill,” Tharaka MP Gitonga Murugara said.
But the speaker dismissed the MP saying he was not the one who should have put the request having sat through the meetings of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee.
Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro sought that the sittings be suspended over the arrest of Meru MP Mithika Linturi.
He lamented intimidation by the government saying Linturi’s arrest was barbaric and contradicted the moment of the House debating a matter of unity.
“I want to remind the executive. We can no longer continue to stifle democracy through the barrel of a gun. We cannot purport to debate a bill when members are being intimidated.”
Muturi declined the calls and allowed the bill to be read as requested by the promoters in their letter to the House on Wednesday.
