A special session of Parliament called to approve the release of Sh37.03 billion to counties and the passage of the controversial Huduma Namba Bill has been cancelled.
National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi cancelled the special sitting that was scheduled to start at 10 am Wednesday citing the refusal by the Government Printer to publish the official gazette for MPs to reconvene.
MPs were also scheduled to consider a motion on the ratification of a Sh9 billion Defence Cooperation Agreement between the Kenyan Government and the governments of the Republic of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.
The session was further expected to receive any messages from the President, the Executive or the Senate as well as papers with statutory timeliness including subsidiary legislation.
The National Assembly adjourned indefinitely (sine die) on June 9, ahead of the August 9 General Election as the curtains on the 12th Parliament came down.
The Speaker last Friday published a notice summoning MPs back to session today. Mr Muturi said the special sitting had been convened at the request of Leader of Majority Party Amos Kimunya.
But on Tuesday, Mr Muturi was forced to cancel the special sittings arguing the Government Printer had not, for unknown reasons, published the Gazette Notice.
“It is worth noting that the Government Printer has declined and failed to gazette the special sittings for reasons not explained to us, despite the requisite documentation being forwarded to his office in good time last week,” Mr Muturi said in a notice cancelling the sittings.
“In the circumstances, therefore, I am compelled to CALL Off the Special Sittings to allow consultations by the Executive,” Mr Muturi said.
House rules allow the Speaker to sanction special sittings on the request by the Leader of Majority or Minority Parties if he is satisfied that the business proposed to be transacted relates to urgent or important business.
