Parliament to reconvene for fourth session amid tectonic political shifts
By Rawlings Otieno and Mercy Mwai, February 10, 2025Parliamentary business is set to resume tomorrow for the fourth session of the thirteenth Parliament with a full in-tray.
This follows the end of the long recess that saw both Houses take a break after an arduous session that was characterised by a rejection of the Finance Bill, an impeachment, the passage of six tax-related laws and an amended Division of Revenue Act.
On resumption, top on the agenda is the reconstitution and approval of the membership of 18 Committees of the National Assembly for the remainder of the thirteenth Parliament, including the House Business Committee chaired by the Speaker.
The House Business Committee is set to meet to receive from the leadership, both Majority and Minority, the proposed chairpersons of the 18 Committees among them all the audit Committees, the Budget and Appropriations Committee, the Public Debt and Privatisation Committee and the three Sessional Committees.
The lawmakers will prioritise consideration and approval of the 2025 Budget Policy Statement (BPS) and the Debt Management Strategy both of which are expected to be submitted in the House on or before February 15, 2025.
Electoral body The recently appointed Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Selection Panel has advertised vacancies for the positions of Chairperson and Members of the (IEBC) Commission.
The Selection Panel chaired by Dr Nelson Makanda is expected to conclude the recruitment process and submit a report to the House Several Bills that are at various stages are also set to get consideration.
Key among them are the County Governments Additional Allocations Bill (2023), which seeks to streamline revenue generation at the county level as well as the Gambling Control Bill, 2023, both of which are in mediation process.
Bills awaiting Committee of the Whole House include the County Governments (Revenue Raising Process) Bill, 2023, the Regional Development Authorities Bill, 2023 and The Kenya National Library Service Bill, 2023