Aden Duale, leader of majority. He said the MPs were free to bring back the rejected Bill. FILE
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Leader of Majority Aden Duale said MPs were free to bring back the Deputy President (Designated State Officers) Bill 2012.
A Bill that was rejected by former president Mwai Kibaki and which proposed giving heavy send-off packages to designated officials will be fast-tracked through Parliament.
Leader of Majority Aden Duale said MPs were free to bring back the Deputy President (Designated State Officers) Bill 2012.
The Bill contained retirement perks for former prime minister Raila Odinga, former vice president Kalonzo Musyoka, former Speaker Kenneth Marende, Chief of Defence Forces, Attorney- General, Inspector General of Police and other senior government officers.
Mr Kibaki refused to assent to the Bill after MPs sneaked in provisions granting them an array of retirement benefits including access to Very Important Persons (VIPs) lounges at Kenya airports and state funerals.
Mr Duale made the challenge while responding to MPs questions on the reason why Mr Odinga had twice been denied access to the VIP III lounge by Kenya Airports’ Authority (KAA) management.
“There was a retirement Bill for former PM, VP, Speaker and other State officers which was rejected. If you fast-track it then we will have a law that will protect them, accord direct access to VIP lounges in airports and provide them with necessary security. You can revive it,” said Duale.
Mr Duale said the KAA law restricts persons who have access to Kenya’s three VIP lounges at all airports saying Mr Odinga, just like heads of diplomatic missions, cabinet secretaries, MPs, senators, governors, retired ministers and MPs and other government officials are free to use the VIP II.
He said VIP I is exclusively used by Heads of State and Governments and their counterparts while VIP III is reserved for use by the deputy Presidents and Prime Ministers and their counterparts.
Duale said the restrictions were meant to protect Kenya’s airports from being degraded or banned by international airlines due to contravention of international safety laws and those set by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.
He said Mr Odinga will have to use the VIP II until such a time that the law will be changed.
Mr Duale also revealed that the KAA is in the process of establishing lounges for commercially important persons in all airports in Kenya. The Garissa Town MP said vehicles to deliver esteemed investors from the airport lounges directly to their flights in airports have been procured.
