All eyes on Statistics Bill as parliament resumes sitting

Statistics bill 2019 will be the top of list as the National Assembly and Senate resume sittings on Tuesday for their third session after the 2017 general election.

The two Houses had been on a month-long Christmas recess and resume duty to a packed in-tray.

The statistics bill, which is awaiting publication, has significant implications on the national census to be held in August.

It is an amendment to the Statistics Act of 2006 that establishes the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) for the collection, compilation, analysis, publication and dissemination of statistical information, and the coordination of the national statistics system.

There is also the Budget Policy Statement (BPS) that Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich is to present to MPs February 15, according to the Public Finance Management Act.

The BPS outlines the country’s expenditure priorities and revenue collection measures as well as deficits.

Parliament has also prioritised the passing of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Amendment bill to provide the mechanism for hiring new commissioners whenever vacancies arises.

This is informed by the resignation of four members of the seven- member commission in October 2017 and in April 2018.

As currently constituted, the IEBC Act has no such mechanism hence the need to recruit commissioners ahead of the census and delimit electoral boundaries ahead of the 2022 general elections.

 

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