The Natural Resources (Classes of Transactions Subject to Ratification) Bill, 2015 (the “Bill”) was published on 18th August 2015 under a special issue of the Kenya Gazette i.e. Supplement No. 139 (National Assembly Bill No. 54 of 2015). It has gone through the First, Second and Third Readings, passed by the National Assembly and forwarded to the Senate for consideration.
Following the introduction of the Bill to the Senate, the Bill was committed to the Standing Committee on Land and Natural Resources for consideration pursuant to Standing Order 130 of the Senate Standing Orders. Article 118 of the Constitution states that:
(1) “Parliament shall-
a) Conduct its business in an open manner, and its sittings and those of its committees shall be open to the public;
b) Facilitate public participation and involvement in the legislative and other business of Parliament and its committees.
(2) Parliament may not exclude the public, or any media, from any sitting unless in exceptional circumstances the relevant Speaker has determined that there are justifiable reasons for the exclusion.”
Under Article 118 of the Constitution and Standing Order 130(4) of the Senate Standing Orders, the Standing Committee on Land and Natural Resources invited members of the public and organizations to submit any representations they may have on the Bill.
The representations may be made orally or by submission of written memoranda in the following manner:
- Public Hearings on Thursday, 2nd June 2016 at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC), Nairobi from 11am.
- Written memoranda – which may be forwarded to the Clerk of the Senate, P.O. Box 41842-00100, Nairobi, hand-delivered to the Office of the Clerk, First Floor, Main Parliament Building, Nairobi or emailed to senatebills@parliament.go.ke, to be received on or before Thursday 2nd June 2016, at 5pm.