Nairobi, KENYA: A section of members of parliament are now are pushing for the Senate to be scrapped off in the anticipated referendum.
Speaking to journalists at parliamentary buildings on Tuesday led by Lugari member of parliament Ayub Savula and his Kimilili counterpart Didmus Barasa, the MPs said that they held a meeting which entailed 50 MPs which resolved that they shall come up with an initiative of executing a referendum through parliament by initiating a bill touching on the push, whereby among key issues they are proposing doing away with the Senate .
Barasa said that Senate ought to be scrapped off due to duplication of roles between the two houses which is being experienced currently.
“We have seen that we have duplication of duties, between the National Assembly and the Senate, and we are also proposing that Senate be scrapped,”Barasa said
They said that pushing the referendum through parliament is key in bid to avert it being hijacked by activists.
Savula said that they want the referendum to be undertaken solely by parliament; by instituting a bill which will be sent to county assemblies for adoption before it is set for the referendum.
Other key issues the MPs’ initiative is proposing in the referendum include reduction of a number of constituencies, reduction of wards to 4 per constituency and functions of the Senate being entranced into the National Assembly committee upon implementation.
They are also pushing for a reduction of resources to the county level to 40 percent while CDF kitty receives 10 percent of the funds.
Others include scrapping of positions of cabinet secretaries and introduce ministers who will be sitting members of parliament.
Savula pointed out that members of this parliamentary initiative will be sitting every week to push for the agenda.
