Legislative purge: 15 Bills dropped, seven merged, 70 await fate in National Assembly

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula. (Photo: National Assembly)

By Lucy Mumbi
Sunday, March 2, 2025

The fate of 70 more awaits a ruling from Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, some of which have been flagged for constitutional concerns or redundancy.

At least 15 Bills have been dropped out of the 287 currently under consideration in the National Assembly, as MPs work to streamline the legislative process, a document prepared by a technical team advising MPs on legislative matters shows.

The document reads that seven Bills have been merged due to similarities, while two have been withdrawn by their sponsors.

More To Read

The fate of 70 more awaits a ruling from Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, some of which have been flagged for constitutional concerns or redundancy.

According to the document, the dropped Bills were either found to contravene the Constitution, recommended for removal by departmental committees or the Parliamentary Budget Office, or had lapsed in the previous session. Others had become redundant due to changing circumstances.

It also notes that the Bills set for merging share similar objectives and require co-sponsorship.

In the education sector, the Teachers Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2023, sponsored by Nyaribari Masaba MP Daniel Manduku, and the Teachers Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2024, by Mandera South MP Abdul Haro, have been consolidated due to their focus on teacher employment.

“Given that the two legislative proposals are both at pre-publication scrutiny and relate to employment matters in relation to teachers, the Departmental Committee on Education in its pre-publication scrutiny report recommends that the two legislative proposals be co-sponsored by the two members,” the document reads.

Education devolution

Similarly, the Basic Education (Amendment) Bill, 2022, by Maragua MP Mary Wamaua and the Basic Education (Amendment) Bill, 2023, by Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma, are set to be merged as both aim to align the Basic Education Act with the Constitution in terms of education devolution.

Another merger involves the Basic Education (Amendment) Bill, 2023, by Mathare MP Anthony Oluoch and the Basic Education (Amendment) Bill, 2023, by nominated MP Umulkher Harun Mohamed. The Directorate of Legal Services has advised the two legislators to co-sponsor the Bills since both address issues of integration and affirmative action.

Several Bills aimed at amending the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Act have been dropped due to duplication. Sirisia MP John Waluke’s Bill, which sought to prevent HELB from denying loans to students under 18, has been abandoned in favour of a similar Bill by Machakos Woman Representative Joyce Kamene that is already under consideration. Likewise, Kitui Central MP Makali Mulu’s HELB amendment proposal has been dropped.

The HELB (Amendment) Bill, 2023, by Lamu Woman Representative Ruweida Mohamed, which sought to provide bursaries and scholarships for students from marginalized areas, has also been rejected by the Committee on Education.

With the passage of the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023, several Bills seeking to amend the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) Act have been rendered unnecessary.

As a result, the following Bills have been dropped: The NHIF (Amendment) Bill, 2022, by Nakuru Town East MP David Gikaria, The NHIF (Amendment) Bill, 2022, by Wajir West MP Yusuf Farah, The NHIF (Amendment) Bill, 2023, by Nyandarua Woman Representative Faith Gitau, The NHIF (Amendment) Bill, 2023, by Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse and the NHIF (Amendment) Bill, 2023, by Endebess MP Robert Pukose.

Malindi MP Amina Mnyazi has opted to withdraw her Cancer Prevention and Control (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which sought to establish a framework for funding cancer prevention, research, early detection, and palliative care.