Winstone Chiseremi @Wchiseremi
The Senate’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee has resolved to move to court to seek the nullification of all bills passed by the National Assembly and assented to by President Uhuru Kenyatta without its input.
Nandi Senator and the committee chair Samson Cherargei said the team would be seeking legal redress to annul the bills for violating the Constitution.
Addressing the press in Eldoret town yesterday, the lawmaker accused the National Assembly of by-passing the Senate by enacting several bills without their input, and termed their actions unconstitutional.
“We are determined to move to court and seek the nullification of bills that have been passed by the National Assembly since 2013 without following due process,” he said.
Cherargei criticised the National Assembly over the Health Law (Amendment) Bill, 2019 that was assented to into law by the President last week, saying senators will ensure it is annulled.
“The National Assembly has formed the habit of passing bills without the consent or input of the Senate as if we do not exist and that has to change for peace and unity to prevail among the two Houses,” he said.
Senate Leader of Majority Kipchumba Murkomen, who witnessed the signing of the bill by the President, has since denied having been aware that the Health Bill would be assented to by the Head of State when he was invited to State House.
This was after National Assembly Leader of Majority Aden Duale engaged Murkomen, who is the Elgeyo Marakwet Senator, in a war of words over the legality of the bill. He termed Murkomen as hypocritical for challenging the process.
Cherargei said going forward, the Senate will ensure no bill will be passed by the National Assembly and taken to the President for signing into law without their input.
