Kenya: Annan visits amidst Constitutional Debate

[Ab-Titchaz]

Kenya MPs hope for 19 changes on draft law​

Kenyan lawmakers have outlined at least 19 sections they want changed in the country's proposed constitution currently undergoing debate in Parliament. Above, Kenyan MPs at a past sitting. ​

By ALPHONCE SHIUNDU
Posted Thursday, March 25 2010 at 16:24


Kenyan lawmakers have outlined at least 19 sections they want changed in the country's proposed constitution currently undergoing debate in Parliament.

Speaker Kenneth Marende says more amendments are still with Parliament's legal team.

Next Wednesday, Parliament will debate all amendments listed on the Order Paper as MPs make their proposals on the draft Constitution.

This is the first day of making proposals on the floor of the House, coming just two days after the MPs disagreed on their proposals at a consensus-building meeting at Nairobi's Kenya Institute of Administration.

The House will then have until Thursday next week to discuss the amendments. If the proponents of the amendments fail to marshal the support of 145 MPs –65 per cent of the lawmakers-then the draft will be endorsed the way it is and presented to the Attorney General.

If any of the amendments succeeds, then the proposals will go to the Committee of Experts, for redrafting, and then brought back to the House for endorsement by just a simple majority of the MPs.

Not obliged

The CoE, as the principal driver of the review process is not obliged to take on board the proposals by the MPs, especially if these proposals go against the wishes of the majority of Kenyans,

The first amendment on the floor is that by Mr Mutava Musyimi, (Gachoka, PNU) who seeks to introduce two new clauses under State and Religion. The two clauses are: "State and religion shall be separate" and "The State shall treat all religions equally."

The draft Constitution before the House has only one clause, which reads: "There shall be no State Religion."

With this amendment, Mr Musyimi, a former secretary general of the National Council of Churches of Kenya, lays the foundation for quashing the Kadhi Courts out of the Constitution.

Mr Musyimi follows up this proposal with another one in the Bill of Rights. His amendment seeks to delete a proposal that gave Muslims a chance to enjoy their freedoms under Kadhi's courts.

Then, he goes to clause 169 (which recognises the courts as ‘subordinate courts') and proposes that the Kadhi's Court be deleted.

The former NCCK spokesman completes his amendments with a final one that deletes clause 170 (on the role of Kadhi's Courts) and proposes the establishment of religious courts.

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/politics/Kenya%20MPs%20hope%20for%2019%20changes%20on%20draft%20law/-/1064/886508/-/a9f7nf/-/index.html

 

[Ab-Titchaz]

Resolve disputes, Annan tells parties

Former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan takes a stroll to the Serena Hotel after meetings President Kibaki, Prime Minister Raila Odinga and National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende in Nairobi on Thursday. With him are his aides.

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By NATION Reporter
Posted Thursday, March 25 2010 at 22:30


Chief mediator Kofi Annan has asked the Grand Coalition partners to resolve their differences immediately.

In a departure from the past when he jointly met President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga, on Thursday he met them separately.

Mr Annan is said to have urged the two principals to close ranks and ensure reforms that will prevent further political chaos.


“The former UN secretary-general encouraged Kenyan leaders to remain focused and give the country a new constitution that will serve them for posterity,” said the Presidential Press Service in a statement on the talks, which focused on the state of affairs in the Grand Coalition, the pace of reforms and political interference.

Mr Annan met the Prime Minister at his Treasury office at 9am for one hour and later held a meeting with the President at Harambee House at 4 pm.


In between, the former UN boss called on Speaker Kenneth Marende at Parliament Buildings and the Kenya Private Sector Alliance at the Serena Hotel, where he is staying. Mr Annan is scheduled to hold a press conference on Friday at 4.30pm, at the end of his four-day visit.


He listed as critical the unity and stability of the country, which was rocked by chaos following the disputed 2007 presidential election results in 2007. Some 1,133 people were killed and 350,000 displaced.


At Harambee House, the President defended the relations in the Grand Coalition and gave the government’s score card on reforms.


And at the Treasury, the issues that have led to the deterioration of relations between coalition partners PNU and ODM were placed on the table.

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/politi...parties /-/1064/887034/-/uixtdgz/-/index.html

 

[Ab-Titchaz]

Former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan takes a stroll to the Serena Hotel after meetings President Kibaki, Prime Minister Raila Odinga and National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende in Nairobi on Thursday. With him are his aides.

Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan (left) and National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende at Parliament Buildings on March 25,2010.

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[Ab-Titchaz]

 

[Ab-Titchaz]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiLuOA8Sysk&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube- MPs propose 19 amendments[/ame]#

 

[Ab-Titchaz]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXOeErLwwLs&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube- Ziara ya Annan[/ame]​

 

[Masikini_Jeuri]

hawa majirani zetu wanabadili katiba kwa mara ya ngapi sasa? Walipomuweka Raila kuwa PM hawakubadilia katiba?

 

[Jammu Africa]

hawa majirani zetu wanabadili katiba kwa mara ya ngapi sasa? Walipomuweka Raila kuwa PM hawakubadilia katiba?

Kenya haijawahii kubadilisha katiba yake tangu ilipoptengezwa baada ya uhuru.

Ishafanyiwa ukarabati kwa mara nyingi hata mara ya mwisho ilikua baada ya uchanguzi ambapo ile sehemu ya waziri mkuu ilipo tengezwa na kuwekwa katika Katiba.

Kwa hivi sasa kama itapitishwa ndipo Kenya yaweza kupata katiba
ya pili ambayo ina ambatana na wakati tuliopo.

Hua twatumia katiba ya kikoloni ambayo imepitwa na wakati.