Here’s a summary of the status of Bills considered by the National Assembly during the week:-
A. Second Reading Stage
(i) The National Hospital Insurance Fund (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 21 of 2021).
The House considered in Second Reading of the National Hospital Insurance Fund (amendment) Bill.
Read: Statements sought by Members of the National Assembly
The principal object of the Bill is to amend the National Hospital Insurance Fund Act, 1998, to establish the National Health Scheme and to enhance the mandate and capacity of the National Hospital Insurance Fund to facilitate and deliver the Universal Health Coverage.
The Second Reading of the Bill was concluded on Tuesday, August 17, 2021.
(ii) The Irrigation (Amendment) Bill National Assembly Bill No. 12 of 2021.
The principal object of the Bill is to make amendments to the Irrigation Act, 2019 to among other things expand the administration of irrigation matter to include management and regulation of irrigation matters;
Read: Questions by Members of the National Assembly during the week
Provide for the appointing and nominating authorities in line with the Constitution;
Harmonize the provision of the irrigation Act, Water Act and Water Resources Management Rules, 2007;
Amend the Act by substituting the reporting obligation under the Act from the Department to the Authority.
To amend the Act by taking into account the already existing legislative and regulatory structures when prescribing administrative and regulatory framework on water storage;
Read: Reports by Chairpersons of Departmental and Select Committees
Amend the Act in Section 22 on annual estimates to include estimated expenditure for development of infrastructure and for the provision of irrigation services;
Amend the Act in section 27 to include the output level of results in monitoring and evaluation;
Amend the Act in section 34 to enable the Cabinet Secretary to make regulations to provide for the development of irrigation, including infrastructure and water storage, and to provide for multi-government agencies consultation and collaboration.
The Second Reading of the Bill was concluded on Thursday, August 19, 2021.
Read: Papers laid on the National Assembly Table during the week
(iii) The Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 19 of 2019) sponsored by the Hon. Florence Mutua, MP.
The Bill was considered in Second Reading of the Bill.
The principal object of this Bill is to amend Article 90 of the Constitution in order to align it with the proposed amendment to section 35 of the Elections Act which seeks to change the timing for submission of party lists by political parties for persons elected under Article 90 of the Constitution from at least forty-five days from the date of general election to within twenty-one days after the date of general election.
The Second Reading of the Bill was concluded on Wednesday, August 18, 2021 however question for Second Reading was deferred to a later date.
Read: Petitions conveyed to National Assembly during the week
(iv) The Central Bank of Kenya (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 10 of 2021) Sponsored by the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning.
The principal object of this Bill is to amend the Central Bank of Kenya Act to provide for licensing of digital credit service providers, who are not regulated under any other law.
The current position is that there is no legal framework governing digital borrowing platforms.
As such, the Central Bank of Kenya will have an obligation of ensuring that there is a fair and non-discriminatory marketplace for access to credit.
Read: Communication issued by the speaker on Senator Prengei demise
The Second Reading of the Bill was concluded on Thursday, August 19, 2021.
(v) The Kenya Deposit Insurance (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No.43 of 2020) sponsored by the Hon. Abdul Rahim Dawood, MP.
The Bill seeks to amend section 28 of the Kenya Deposit Insurance Act, 2012 in order to increase the maximum amount a person with an account with an institution under liquidation is to be paid by the Kenya Deposit Insurance Corporation from one hundred thousand shillings to one million shillings.
B. Committee of the Whole House
(i) The Foreign Service Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 8 of 2021)
The principal object of this Bill is to provide for the establishment, management, administration, accountability and functioning of a professional foreign service of the Republic of Kenya.
The Bill was passed with amendment by the National Assembly on Wednesday, August 17, 2021.
