Nakuru assembly speaker raises alarm over pending Bills, petitions

At least eight crucial Bills and 16 petitions by residents have been pending before various committees at the Nakuru County Assembly for more than one year.

Some of the Bills and petitions have been lying before the House since 2018 in total disregard of Standing Orders 123 and 125 which stipulates that such matters should be expedited within 20 days.

This is happening at a time when President Uhuru Kenyatta signed into law a Bill to recall incompetent MCAs on July 9.

Speaker Joel Maina Kairu, in a communication to the assembly before the House went on recess on July 16, urged ward representatives to expedite the process. The assembly resumes on July 28 after a ten-day recess.

“These Bills must see the light of the day and I want to urge members to note the provisions of Standing Order 123 and 125 which states the matter should be dispensed within 20 days,” said Mr Kairu.

“When the public present petitions at the assembly and the House fails to discharge them, they start losing faith in the assembly,” Mr Kairu added.

Nakuru County Disaster and Emergency Bill No 4 of 2019 first read on March 19, 2018 is pending before the Disaster Management Committee.

Nakuru County Housing Estate Tenancy and Management Bill No 4 of 2019 and Nakuru County and Valuation and Rating Bill No 10 of 2019, read on March 19, 2019 are pending before the Lands, Housing and Physical Planning committee while Nakuru County Inspectorate Compliance and Enforcement Bill No 6 of 2019 and Nakuru County Civic Education Bill No 17 of 2019, first read on April 30, 2019 and July 2, 2019 are pending before the committee on Security and Governance.

Nakuru County Livestock Sales Yard Bill No 10 of 2019 and Nakuru County Agriculture Training and Mechanisation Service Bill No 14 of 2019 first read on April 30, 2019 and on July 16, 2019 respectively are pending before the committee on Agriculture.

Nakuru County Childcare Facilities Bill No 16 of 2019, first read on July 2, 2019, is pending before committee on Early Childhood and Education Committee.

A petition by Ms Grace Wanjiku and others on the disbursement of funds to disabled has been pending since on July 4, 2018.

A petition by Nakuru Hotels Owners Self-Help Group on occupancy levies has been pending since October 24, 2018, while another petition by Nakuru Stakeholders Forum to the Assembly to ensure suspended workers at Itare Dam were paid is also pending before the committee on Labour, Gender, Youth and Social Welfare.

Athinai village squatters are still praying county assembly intervenes in their eviction since 2019.

A petition by ACK St Stephen Church in Waseges Ward concerning the illegal acquisition of church land is also pending

A petition by John Ndune Mwangi over his dismissal from the defunct Nakuru Municipal is also pending since April 23, 2019. Youths and Governance petition concerning Youth Bill has not been addressed since April 23, 2019.

A petition by casuals at Nakuru Provincial General Hospital concerning unlawful dismissal is pending since June 4, 2019.

A petition by Alice Obiero Magoma asking the assembly to compel the Executive to provide information on all foreign trips and how they benefited the county has not been discussed since June 11, 2019.

A petition by Joseph Kabugu concerning deplorable status of Early Child Development classrooms in Naka Primary School is yet to be discussed since July 31, 2019.

Residents and stakeholders of Mawanga market in Kiamaina Ward have since September 11, 2019, been waiting their petition to be addressed.

A petition by Zipporah Shivachi and Ms Ruth Njuguna and others on the plight of casual workers in the department of Trade has been pending since July 31, 2019.

Nakuru Bar owners petition concerning a proposal to make installment payment of liquor licences is pending since September 11, 2019.

A petition by Simon Mwangi concerning encroachment of access road by Delamere Farm has been on hold since September 29, 2019.

Residents of Kongasis trading centre in Mbaruk/Eburu Ward have been waiting for a petition on illegally acquired public utilities to be debated since November 12, 2019.

A petition by residents of Mwaki Mugi Location in Kabatini Ward over construction of social hall in the area has been pending since on November 27, 2019.