Kenyans asked to submit views on BBI-like bill by August 21

The National Assembly has invited Kenyans to prepare to submit their views in writing on the The Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2020.

In a notice seen by the Star on Wednesday, the memoranda should then be submitted to the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee between August 13 to 21.

Submissions should be done in 11 venues in 11 counties during the scheduled public hearings.

The counties include; Uasin Gishu, Kakamega, Elgeyo Marakwet, Kisumu, Mombasa, Nakuru, Machakos, Kilifi, Nyadarua, Makueni and Nairobi.

According to the notice, representations may also be forwarded to the Clerk of the National Assembly, P.O Box 41842-00100, Nairobi or emailed to [email protected], to be received on or before Monday, 23rd August,2021 at 5:00pm.

This is a bill with BBI-like proposals.

In an endorsement of President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga-led unity initiative, the National Assembly revived a 2019 bill that if passed would allow MPs to be appointed Cabinet ministers.

The bill is similar to proposals in the BBI for ministers to be drawn from Parliament, though just half of the Cabinet.

However, the bill was mooted in November 2019, long before the BBI process was concluded, with officials saying it has been queued by the House Business Committee in line with the House procedures.

President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga —initiators of the BBI process — had promoted constitutional amendments to restore national harmony, deal with graft and address electoral injustices.

But various stakeholders, including the church and civil society players, have vigorously called for postponement of the referendum— if the Court of Appeal okays it — to a later date to give the country adequate time to prepare for the 2022 polls.