National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has deferred the passage of the draconian Bill. PHOTO | FILE
National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has come to the rescue of journalists after he deferred the passage of the draconian Bill that sought to impose a penalty of Sh500,000 for any person who defames Parliament.
Mr Muturi took the decision following the intervention of the Leader of Majority Aden Duale who said passing of the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Bill, 2015 as amended by MPs would be unconstitutional.
Mr Duale rose to demand that the passage of the Bill be postponed until the House Business Committee makes a decision on the deletion of offending clauses.
This came after MPs on Wednesday ganged up against a proposal by the mover of the Bill, Mr Adan Keynan to delete clause 34 that imposed a penalty of Sh500,000, a jail term of up to two years or both for journalists who in the MPs opinion have written stories that are libellous or defamatory to Parliament.
MPs argued that the punishment should be retained for the House to hold individual media practitioners who defame the House liable for their actions.
“The issues in this Bill require further deliberations and I rise to seek your guidance to have the question on the same to be deferred to another day. This Bill has disputable clauses that touch on the generation rights as provided in the Constitution,” Mr Duale said.
He challenged the Powers and Privileges committee co-chaired by Mr Muturi and his Senate counterpart Ekwee Ethuro to take charge of Bills that touch on House powers and privileges.
He was supported by Ainabkoi MP Samuel Chepkonga, Jakoyo Midiwo (Gem), Jamleck Kamau (Kigumo) and Millie Odhiambo (Mbita) who urged their colleagues against passing contentious Bills that can be challenged in court.
“The media will go to court if we pass this Bill as it is,” Mr Kamau said.
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