Parliament Buildings in Nairobi County in this picture taken on August 8, 2024.
At least 15 bills have been dropped, seven others merged and two withdrawn by their sponsors as the National Assembly races against time to pass more than 287 pending bills.
The fate of at least 70 other bills is on the desk of Speaker Moses Wetang'ula awaiting his final word before any action is taken on them.
Some Bills were found to be offending the Constitution, others were dropped on recommendations from the line departmental committees or advice from the Parliamentary Budget Office, and others had lapsed in the last session, while others have been overtaken by events.
According to a document prepared by a technical team advising MPs on various legislative issues seen by Nation.Africa, those merged have similar proposals hence the sponsors told to do co-sponsorship.
In the education sector, the Teachers Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2023 sponsored by Nyaribari Masaba MP Daniel Manduku and the Teachers Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2024 by Abdul Haro (Mandera South) have been merged since they both deal with employment of teachers.
“Given that the two legislative proposals are at both at pre-publication scrutiny and relate to employment matters in relation to teachers, the departmental committee education in its pre-publication scrutiny report recommend that the two legislative proposals be co-sponsored by the two members,” reads the document.
The Basic Education (Amendment) Bill, 2022 by Maragua MP Mary Wamaua and the
Basic Education (Amendment) Bill, 2023 by Homa Bay Town Peter Kaluma is also set to be merged since they all relate to the alignment of the Basic Education Act to the Constitution in terms of the devolution of education
Also set for the merger is the Basic Education (Amendment) Bill, 2023 by Mathare MP Anthony Oluoch and The Basic Education (Amendment) Bill, 2023 by nominated MP Umulkher Harun Mohamed.
The Directorate of Legal Services has since advised the two MPs to co-sponsor the bills as they all relate to integration or affirmative action.
However, the Higher Education Loans Board (Amendment) Bill, 2022 by Sirisia MP John Waluke, which seeks to amend the Higher Education Loans Board Act to provide that the Higher Education Loans Board shall not deny loans to students who have not attained the age of eighteen years, has been dropped as a similar Bill by Machakos MP Joyce Kamene, which has already been published, is being considered by the House.
Another similar bill, the Higher Education Loans Board (Amendment) Bill, 2022 by Kitui Central MP Makali Mulu has also suffered the same fate.
The Higher Education Loans Board (Amendment) Bill, 2023 by woman representative Ruweida Mohamed seeking to amend the Higher Education Loans Board Act, Cap. 213 to provide for the award of bursaries and scholarships to all eligible students from marginalized areas has now been dropped after it was rejected by the Committee on Education.
On Bills related to health matters, National Health Insurance Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2022 by Mr Nakuru Town East David Gikaria, National Hospital Insurance Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2022 by Wajir West Yusuf Farah, National Health Insurance Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2023 by Nyandarua Woman Representative Faith Gitau have all been dropped in light of the enactment of the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023.
Other Bills that have also suffered the same fate include the National Health Insurance Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2023 by Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse and the National Health Insurance Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2023 by Dr Pukose have all been dropped The Health (Amendment) Bill, 2023 by Mosop MP Abraham Kirwa, Health (Amendment) Bill, 2022 by Bomachoge Borabu MP Barongo Obadia seeking to amend the Health Act to provide for the remuneration of community health workers by the national and county governments.
Malindi MP Amina Mnyazi has opted to withdraw his Cancer Prevention and Control (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
The Bill was seeking to amend the Cancer Prevention and Control Act to make provision for a framework for the funding of cancer prevention and control, cancer research, early detection, palliative care, cancer education and awareness and rural cancer.
However, the Cancer Prevention and Control (Amendment) Bill, 2024 by Kisumu woman representative Ruth Odinga, the Cancer Prevention and Control (Amendment) Bill, 2024 by Embakasi East Babu Owino, Health (Amendment) Bill, 2023 by Mukuruweni MP John Kaguchia and the Health (Amendment) Bill, 2022 by Kirinyaga woman representative Njeri Maina have all received green light to proceed to the next stage.
Ms Odinga’s Bill is seeking to provide for cancer screening through the integrated national health insurance system. It also makes provision for annual cancer screening for certain types of cancer including cervical cancer, breast cancer and colorectal cancer.
Mr Owino’s Bill on the other hand seeks to make provision for tax reliefs for persons diagnosed with cancer in order to alleviate the financial burden of cancer treatment and follow-up care post-cancer diagnosis.
Other Bills approved for consideration include the Health (Amendment) Bill, 2024 by Endebes MP Robert Pukose, the Health (Amendment) Bill, 2022 by Mr Obadia and the Health (Amendment), Bill 2023 by Mr Gikaria.
Two Bills, National Government Constituencies Development Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2024 by Joshua Chepyegon Kandie, MP, The National Government Constituencies Development Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2024 related to operations of the NG-CDF have all been put on hold due to the ongoing court case challenging the legality of the fund.
“The Bills should be put in abeyance pending the determination of the appeal process, following the High Court declaration that the National Government Constituencies Development Fund Act Cap.414A as amended in 2022 and 2023 is unconstitutional,” read the document.
Ruiru MP Simon Ng’ang’a has opted to drop the National Government Coordination (Amendment) Bill, 2023 by The Traffic (Amendment) Bill, 2023 Adams Kipsanai which was seeking to prescribe a speed limit for motorcycle taxis to 60 kilometres has also been dropped following its rejection by the committee on transport.
The Water (Amendment) Bill, 2023 that was seeking to amend the Water Act to provide for exemption of application charges with regard to permits for construction of boreholes and wells has also been rejected following a recommendation by the committee on Blue Economy and Irrigation.
