BY OLIVER MATHENGE
The National Assembly is set to enact a law that will see MPs and their spouses, alongside other officers of Parliament, get diplomatic passports.
Section 50 of the Parliamentary Service Commission Bill 2015 states the two Speakers, MPs, the Clerks, members of the PSC and their spouses will be entitled to diplomatic passports.
Currently, the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act excludes MPs and their spouses from the list of the 28 categories of people that get diplomatic passports.
MPs were previously entitled to diplomatic passports but the Immigration Department removed them from the list in February, when it was amended.
At the time, the list was amended to accommodate former Prime Minister Raila Odinga as the position of PM no longer exists.
The Bill, tabled in the National Assembly by Eldas MP Adan Keynan, also sets up a new police unit to oversee security in Parliament as well establish an academic institution to award degrees.
According to the proposed law, the Parliamentary Police Unit will be under the supervision of the National Police Service and the command of the Inspector-General.
“The Inspector-General shall, by notice in the Gazette, appoint an officer not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police to be in charge of the Parliamentary Police Unit,” the Bill says.
The unit comes at a time when MPs have raised concerns over a new security arrangement whereby the PSC has recruited security personnel from the National Youth Service.
Section 28 of the proposed law establishes the Centre for Parliamentary Studies and Training to provide “learning and development programmes.”
These programmes shall lead to the “grant of certificates, diplomas and degrees to build capacity for members and staff of Parliament and other stakeholders.”
“The centre shall facilitate continuous learning for members and staff of Parliament and develop linkages and collaborations with other institutions of learning and professional organisations,” the Bill says.
The Bill also amends the Public Finance Management Act in an attempt to give Parliament financial autonomy by establishing a special Fund.
The Bill establishes the Parliamentary Fund, where all money allocated to Parliament, including gifts, donations and grants, will be paid into.
The Fund will ensure Parliament does not return any unused money to the Treasury and will also have control of its money.
The amendments to the Public Finance Management Act will see the two Clerks become the accounting officers of their respective Houses.
The Bill also provides for a limit on how long one can serve as Clerk of either House. There are currently no term limits.
The proposed law provides that a Clerk serve for a period of four years and is eligible for reappointment for one further term.
The Bill will also limit the right to access to information where the request is “prejudicial to national security or the interests of Parliament.”
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