Jubilee gives in on draconian security bill, welcomes talks By Geoffrey Mosoku and Wilfred Ayaga Mon December 15th 2014 The Jubilee Government appears to have softened its stance on the controversial Security Laws (Amendments) Bill that attracted intense opposition from various quarters. Two days after President Uhuru Kenyatta vigorously defended the proposed changes as a way to fight terrorism and revealed he had been approached by the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution (CIC) over some of the clauses in the draft law, Jubilee MPs are now reaching out to the Opposition for a consensus. The Governments leadership in the National Assembly where the bill is awaiting debate by the Committee of the whole House, yesterday revealed they had lined up meetings with those opposed to the draft laws to ensure it is bi-partisan legislation and enjoys broader support. Already, CIC has raised several clauses in the bill that it wants amended, saying they were in conflict with the supreme law. CIC Chairman Charles Nyachae told The Standard he presented proposals to the State to cure the problems with the bill. Nyachae said following his meeting with President Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto, he hoped the clauses touching on basic freedoms and penalties prescribed for the media would be reviewed. Uhuru alluded to the amendments proposed by the commission in his Jamhuri Day speech last Friday. Yesterday, National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale said he had scheduled meetings from today with CORD legislators and other stakeholders to strike a deal before the amendments are tabled on Thursday at the National Assembly for discussion by the Committee of the whole House. Duale has also invited media owners, the Editors Guild, civil society groups and other interested parties to iron out contentious issues with a view to shelving clauses perceived as offending. The National Security committee is winding up the public participation process tomorrow (today). On Tuesday and Wednesday I will be meeting with our colleagues from the Opposition so that we build consensus, he told The Standard from Paris, France. Duale, who returns to Nairobi this evening, said he would host media owners and editors for breakfast on Thursday morning shortly before the House reconvenes for a special session to debate and pass the amendments.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Dec 2014 07:32:33 +0000
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