MCAs form legal team to analyse Aukot’s proposals

Reuben Mwambingu, Irene Githinji and Henry Andanje @PeopleDailyKe

The County Assemblies Forum (CAF) has formed a team of experts comprised of top constitutional lawyers to look into the Punguza Mizigo bill and advise the County Assemblies on its implications.

Forum chair Johnson Osoi said the team would begin poring over contents of the referendum bill next week on Monday until Friday before submitting a report to CAF secretariat.

“At the County Assemblies Forum we have formed a team of experts to consider the bill and advise the MCAs so that when they start debating on it, they will do it from an informed point of view,” said the CAF chair who is also the Speaker of Kajiado County Assembly.

Legal experts

The team of experts he said is comprised of legal experts in constitutional law including  Collins Odote, Kamotho Waiganjo, Wachira Maina and Abdikadir Mohamed.

In a telephone interview with People Daily yesterday, Osoi said several County Assemblies have received the bill but could not state where the bill has so far landed.

“Hopefully by Friday this week, all the 47 County Assemblies will have received the bill…from there, the next course of action will be 90 days for the MCAs to work on the bill then the speakers will transmit the final outcome to the National Assembly,” Osoi.

This comes as some Mombasa MCAs have vowed to rally their support behind the referendum bid. The MCA said the proposed amendments will help relieve Kenyans from the huge economic burden brought about by the 2010 Constitution.

Meanwhile Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) yesterday dismissed claims that there was no public participation in the  Punguza Mizigo initiative saying the agency publicised the list for 21 days.

Legal experts

IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati said the list is still on the commission’s website though they were not able to publish it in the Kenya gazette and local dailies due to financial constraints.

He said the commission publicised the list on its website for purposes of providing an opportunity to supporters of the initiative to confirm their support for referendum bill.

Elsewhere, Anglican Church of Kenya Archbishop Jackson ole Sapit has called for a proper audit of the  Constitution before any amendments are made. 

 Speaking at Busia Agricultural Training Centre yesterday,  Sapit  said it is only through an audit that areas to be retained or discarded can be identified. 

He said the high wage bill is a great burden to the country hence Kenyans should seize any opportunity to reduce it.