Senators draft Constitutional Bill to expand their powers
The bill sets the stage for a direct face-off with the National Assembly, which is pushing its reforms through the National Dialogue Committee.
In a daring move that could spark a major power clash, senators have drafted a rival Constitutional Amendment Bill aimed at expanding the Senate’s authority and shaking up the balance of power in Parliament.
The Bill sets the stage for a direct face-off with the National Assembly, which is pushing its reforms through the National Dialogue Committee.
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The new Senate-backed Bill is sponsored by Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot and Minority Leader Stewart Madzayo. It was unveiled during a closed-door session chaired by Speaker Amason Kingi on Thursday.
The Bill is yet to be submitted for publication, but it marks the Senate’s strongest signal yet in its long-running bid to secure more legislative control.
Developed by a legal team led by Justice and Legal Affairs Committee chair Hillary Sigei (Bomet), the Bill includes input from senators Tom Ojienda (Kisumu), Okong’o Omogeni (Nyamira), Edwin Sifuna (Nairobi), and nominated Senator Catherine Mumma.
“We have drafted the Bill and presented it to senators. What we want is enhanced legislative powers,” a member of the drafting team said.
The senators want to transform the Senate into a true upper House by giving it veto powers over key decisions, including the national budget and legislation passed by the National Assembly.
Currently, the Constitution bars the Senate from dealing with money bills, limiting its role on laws that relate to taxation, public spending, or borrowing.
Frustration has grown among senators over this restriction.
“They terminate your Bill and days later reintroduce the same content with a different sponsor,” one senator claimed.
The proposed changes seek to allow the Senate to fully participate in the budget process, vet Cabinet Secretaries, and have more say in national fiscal planning.
Senators argue that without these reforms, their legislative role will remain weakened and their oversight role limited.
The push comes days after opposition leader Raila Odinga met with senators and voiced strong support for the move.
“We would like to see our Senate work like that of the US – give it proper powers and responsibilities,” Raila said.
The Senate’s Bill will now run alongside the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO)-backed amendment, which proposes the creation of a Prime Minister, two Deputy Prime Ministers, and a formal Leader of Opposition. NADCO’s proposal also seeks to entrench key funds in the Constitution, including the National Government Affirmative Action Fund and the Senate Oversight Fund.
As both chambers push for different versions of constitutional change, the battle over legislative power is now firmly underway.
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