The National Assembly adjusted its calendar to allow for a special meeting on Friday, October 18 to handle high-priority business, before heading on recess on Tuesday next week.
According to the order paper, legislators are set to proceed on a short recess commencing October 22. National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah is expected to move a motion during a sitting on Wednesday, October 16, to approve the alteration of the calendar.
Majority Whip Silvanus Osoro earlier in the day noted the special sitting will be used to discuss critical bills, including the Sugar Bill, Water Bill and the Division of Revenue Bill. Other urgent business issues will also be covered.
Osoro informed the House that there were several pending business matters that required immediate attention by lawmakers.
"The rationale for the house to change its calendar stems from the fact that we need to recover the time of the House on Mazingira Day and when we suspended the house for public participation in the impeachment of the Deputy President," he explained.
He added the decision to alter the National Assembly’s calendar was necessitated by the need to recover time lost during the Mazingira Day holiday as well as the public participation exercises conducted for DP Gachagua’s impeachment.
"It’s also due to urgency to conclude certain priority bills before the house, like Sugar bill, Water and Division of Revenue Bill before we proceed to recess.”
According to the Majority Whip, the special sitting will allow time to discuss arising urgent issues that may develop in the meantime.
“There is also a need to provide for the house to consider any other business that may arise that may require expedited consideration," he emphasized.
The special sitting will take place one day after the Senate votes on Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's impeachment. Meanwhile, speculation is rife that the sitting might have something to do with discussing a potential replacement for DP Gachagua.
However, President William Ruto and his close allies have been mum on the plan to replace Gachagua, amid reports that this may be done before Friday, October 18.
As of mid-day Wednesday October 16, the deputy president had denied all the charges levelled against him at the Senate.
