Parliament to hold special sitting next week to debate BBI Bill

National Assembly Majority Leader Amos Kimunya says Parliament will hold a special sitting next week to debate the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) driven Constitution of Kenya Amendment Bill 2020 in order to move it to the next stage.

Kimunya further said Parliament expects the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to be handling referendum logistics saying Kenyans should head to a vote by the month of June latest.

“I’m expecting that before the end of this week they will have completed a report, and once I have that report, I should convene a special sitting even next week so that we can get rid of it,” said Kimunya.

“We have not lost as much time as I have seen alluded to out there. Yes, it would have been desirous for us to finish it before the end of March, but so long as we complete the process within April, we still have the month of May.”

He further added: “I see no problem why IEBC cannot call a referendum in May or June. Typically, campaign periods are 21 days before an election, even a referendum.”

The High Court late last month issued temporary orders suspending the coming into force of the BBI Bill pending the hearing of a case challenging it.

This meant that even if Parliament passes the Bill, the president will not be able to sign it into law until the case before the five-judge bench is heard and determined.

The order was issued following an application filed by Thirdway Alliance lawyer Elius Mutuma who urged the court to suspend the Bill from being assented into law.