Upcoming Bills (according to the government)

* Links updated. We need your assistance with filling the blanks, if you have soft copy access to any of the draft bills that we do not link to, please forward them to us via the contact page.

The following bills are expected to be re-tabled when Parliament resumes. Here's hoping that the MPs do more than draw fat paychecks. Most of these bills have been pending in parliament since 2004.
1. The Sexual Offences Bill. For criticism of aspects of the bill, click here. For the other side of the argument, click here. In response to some of the criticisms raised during the House debate, the Bill is widely to be amended following recommendations of the Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs.

2. The Media Bill 2006. Read analysis on the draconian nature of the bill here.

3. The Statute (Miscellanous Amendments) Bill 2006, which seeks to among other things, amend the Public Officer Ethics Act, 2003 to make the declaration of assets and liabilities open to public scrutiny (analysis of the weaknesses of the current act can be found here). Other amendments will also seek to increase the number of judges from 50 to 70 and Judges of Appeal from 11 to 15. More details on the bill can be found here.

4. The Witness Protection Bill. Has been pending since last year. First reading was in April 2005.

5. The Proceeds of Crime and Money Laundering Bill to enable the Government acquire funds and assets that have been obtained illegally.

6. The Cotton Bill, 2005 to revitalise the cotton industry and restructure the Cotton Board.

7. Amendments to the Coffee Bill of 2001. For more on why the amendments are necessary, click here.

9. The Deposit Taking and Micro-finance Bill 2005 aimed at promoting access to credit by micro-entreprises. For background on the bill, including the recent consensus agreement reached by industry stakeholders click here. Analysis of the proposed bill can be found here, and an older version of the bill can be found here.

10. The Savings and Credit Co-operative Societies Bill. A brief background on the bill can be found here.
11. Amendments to the Transport Licensing Act to make it easier to obtain vehicle licenses and to enable PSV operators to renew their licenses all year round.

12. The Kenya Information and Communications Bill, 2006 to replace the current Kenya Communications Act, 1998.

13. A Bill for the establishment of a Financial Management and Control Board for local authorities experiencing financial distress.

14. The Local Authorities Bill which seeks to provide for the creation of a Metropolitan City of Nairobi and to create the necessary legal framework that will formalize the elevation of Kisumu and Mombasa to city status.

15. The National Social Health Insurance Fund Bill 2004

16. The Wildlife Conservation and Management Amendment Bill 2004. Detailed critic of the bill as originally proposed is available here. The President had refused to assent to the Bill in 2004, apparently due to, among other things, concerns about the legalization of sport hunting

17. The Banking Amendment Bill 2004

18. The Political Parties Bill which aimes to provide an appropriate registrations system for parties and provide for state funding of parties. A detailed chapter by chapter digest of the bill is available here. For some background on the problem, click here.

19. Revising of the Restrictive Trade Practices and Monopolies and Price Control Act.

20. The National Museums and Heritage Bill. The Bill intends to update and enhance the legal framework of Museums, Cultural Property and Heritage management to make them consistent with international standards and treaties. Some background on the bill, including some of its defects, is available here.

21. The Refugee Bill. The Bill seeks to make provision for the recognition, protection and management of refugees in Kenya. The Bill will also enhance the legal framework covering refugees in line with the Constitution of the International Refugee Organization and other Conventions that are followed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the African Union Charter on refugees.

22. The Public Archives and Documentation Service (Amendment) Bill. The Bill aims to strengthen the Kenya National Archives and Documentation Service by way of extending its scope of operations. Current law available here.

23. The revised Statistics Bill will provide for the establishment of the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) as a body corporate and principal agency for collecting, analyzing, publishing and disseminating official statistics in Kenya.

24. The Kenya Law Reform Commission Bill. This Bill seeks to give the Kenya Law Reform Commission operational autonomy, to make it more effective and efficient and to re-define its objectives, functions and composition.

25. The Companies Bill. The Companies Bill will provide a modern framework for conducting business.

26. Review of the following labor laws: regulation of wages (Cap.22a), Factories and other places of work (Cap 514), Workmen's compensation Act (Cap 236), Employment Act (Cap.226), Trade Disputes Act (Cap.234) Trade Unions Act (Cap.233).

27. The Industrial Training Act (Cap 237 Amendment Bill of the Laws of Kenya) which is currently at the AG's Chambers will be finalized in order to empower the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) with the legal framework to provide cutting edge training to both school leavers as well as workers employed in Industry.

28. Kenya Maritime Authority Bill 2005. Kenya Merchant Shipping Bill 2005. Bill for the establishment of open ships registry in Kenya.

Posted by Mzalendo Editor on May 29, 2006

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