The Senate on Tuesday morning, March 10, proposed an amendment bill that could see the National Assembly locked out of the vetting process of key state nominees.
The proposed Draft Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill was jointly presented by Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen and his Minority counterpart James Orengo.
If approved, the senators will have exclusive rights to vet nominees for the positions of director of public prosecutions, chairpersons and members of constitutional commissions, chief justice, and deputy chief justice.
The vetting and approval of state nominees is currently the exclusive mandate of the National Assembly, with the new proposed changes seeking to see a split in the execution of this duty.
The Senate also proposed to have an implicit and exclusive approval mandate in regards to the auditor-general, inspector-general of police and controller of budget.
Murkomen and Orengo went on to announce that under the propose amendments, the vetting of CSs, attorney-general, secretary to the Cabinet, principal secretaries, high commissioners, ambassadors, and diplomatic and consular representatives would be done by the National Assembly.
The senators addressed the special 14-member steering committee chosen by President Uhuru Kenyatta which tasked to oversee the implementation of the Building Bridges Initiative Report.
According to the new proposals, the Senate also wants to be given the power to consider and approve the budget, saying shutting them out of the process was hurting the devolved units.
The fiery turf war between the National Assembly and the Senate climaxed last on July 18, 2019, when Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka led senators in a march to the High Court to file a petition challenging more than 20 laws enacted without their input.
In their pleadings, the senators want the court to annul at least 26 Acts of Parliament that they say do not comply with the due process.
In the procession lead by the Speaker, and Leaders of Majority and Minority Kipchumba Murkomen and James Orengo, respectively, the lawmakers marched from the Parliament buildings to the Milimani Law Courts.
Watch part of the proceedings below:
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