President Kenyatta signs into law five Bills

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday, April 8 at State House, Nairobi, signed five Bills into law, aimed at streamlining service delivery to the public.

The five Bills include, Privatization Amendment Bill, Public Service Commission Bill, The Statute Law Miscellaneous Bill, The Appropriation Bill and the Equalization Fund Appropriation Bill.

The Privatization Bill which was passed by the National Assembly on February this year seeks to address the reappointment of serving members of the Kenya Privatization Commission upon the expiry of their first term of office subject to favourable performance evaluation.

The Bill which now becomes law after its signing by the President outlines the procedure in the presentation of privatization proposals to parliament following approval by Cabinet.

The Public Service Commission Bill outlines a legal frame work for the operation and administration of the Public Service Commission to efficiently deliver on its Constitutional mandate.

The new law seeks to ensure efficiency and certainty with regard to the process to filling vacancies of members of Public Service Commission (PSC).

The law stipulates the conditions the Commission shall adhere to in determining and creating the number and kinds of offices in the Public Service as proposed by a public body or the President.

It provides guidelines for appointment and promotion of officers in the Public Service in consonance with Constitutional principles of non-discrimination, two thirds gender rule, inclusivity of persons with disabilities, marginalized communities and youth in such appointments, transfers and promotions.

The new law which will now become operational after being assented by the President establishes a clear disciplinary procedure that effectively protects the rights of public officers as provided in Article 47 of the Constitution and the Fair Administrative Act.

The new law also outlines procedures by which decisions made by a county government public service are considered inconsistent with laws, regulations and policies and can be contested by a dissatisfied person.

The Statute Law Miscellaneous Bill makes miscellaneous and minor amendment to amongst others, the Judicature Act (Cap.8), the Advocates Act (Cap.16), the Prisons Act (Cap. 90), the Income Tax Act (Cap. 470) and the Value Added Tax, 2013.

The Advocates Act empowers the Society to issue practice numbers to members to be endorsed on all documents prepared by a practising advocate in order to streamline legal practise and reduce incidences of legal activity carried out by unqualified persons.

The Appropriation Bill which the President signed into law was passed by the National Assembly this week and it grants for the issue, out of Consolidated Fund, the sum of Ksh. 1,266,794,262,462 required to meet public expenditure during the financial year ending on 30^th June, 2018.

The Bill further appropriates the money granted for services and purposes specified in the Schedule, which is based on the estimates for the 2017/2018 financial year. It also makes provision for appropriations in aid of those services and purposes.

The Equalization Fund Appropriation Bill grants statutory sanction for public expenditure for the year ending on 30^th June, 2017, to facilitate withdrawal of funds from Equalization Fund in line with Articles 204(3) (a) of the Constitution.

Present during the signing of the Bills were Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua, National Treasury Principal Secretary Kamau Thugge, Leader of Majority in the National Assembly Aden Duale, Clerk to the National Assembly Michael Sialai Rotich and Solicitor General Njee Muturi