A political showdown is expected between the Senate and the National Assembly over a proposed law that seeks to curb the National Assembly’s influence while granting the Senate greater independence.
The Constitution of Kenya Amendment Bill, 2025, sponsored by Nyamira Senator Okong’o Omogeni, proposes abolishing the Parliamentary Service Commission, currently chaired by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, and replacing it with separate service commissions for each House.
Under the proposed changes, the Senate and National Assembly would each have an independent service commission to manage staff and resources. “A Service Commission shall consist of the Speaker of the relevant House who shall be the chairperson,” the Bill states.
Other members would include a vice chairperson elected by members, two representatives from the majority party, one from the second-largest party, and a public affairs expert. The respective Clerks of each House would serve as secretaries.
To handle cross-cutting issues, the Bill suggests the formation of a joint committee where both commissions could meet as needed for the proper management of Parliament.
Senate to Vet Top Government Officials
The Bill also seeks to grant the Senate new powers to vet key government appointments, including the Director of Public Prosecutions, Chief Justice and Deputy Chief Justice, Auditor General, Controller of Budget, and leaders of constitutional commissions such as the Commission on Revenue Allocation.
If passed, the law would strip the National Assembly of its exclusive role in budget-making. Once the Budget Committee reviews and approves estimates, they would be forwarded to the Senate for consideration.
“The Senate may amend the approved estimates in a resolution supported by at least two-thirds of the county delegations,” the Bill states. If the National Assembly rejects Senate amendments, it would need at least 233 votes to overturn them.
The Bill also requires the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to submit reports to the Senate whenever troops are deployed to restore order in any part of the country.
Omogeni’s proposal further seeks to remove the National Assembly Speaker as chairperson of tribunals handling the removal of judges, replacing them with the Senate Speaker.
“The roles of both Houses should be clearly defined,” the Bill states.
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