Senators upbeat over court ruling

Senate Speaker Ekwee Ethuro (centre) and new members of the House Beth Mugo and Danson Mwazo at an induction workshop at the Lake Naivasha Simba lodge on April 19, 2013. FILE 

In Summary

• The Senate initially came up with a list and sent it to the National Assembly but the House changed it.

Senators have drawn fresh impetus from a Supreme Court ruling that gave them a hand in the formulation of the annual Division of Revenue Bills.

The lawmakers Sunday said the advisory opinion should guide the Houses in resolving other disputes, including the contested Pan-African Parliament list.

Senators and National Assembly members are locked in a dispute over representation to the African parliament.

The supremacy battle between the two Houses resurfaced last week after senators rejected a five-member list of lawmakers to the Pan-African Parliament forwarded by the National Assembly.

The Senate initially came up with a list and sent it to the National Assembly but the House changed it.

Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen (URP, left) said: “What the Supreme Court is telling us is that we have to always work in a consultative manner. The ruling clearly indicates that Senators represent the people as opposed to the argument that has always been pushed by the National Assembly.”

Nominated Senator Martha Wangari (UDF) said Speakers of both Houses should now use the legal opinion to bring together the lawmakers.

“This is a good advisory. We should use it now and in the future to resolve some of the misunderstandings,” she said.

Nominated Senator Agnes Zani (ODM) said: “We went to court and we are really happy that it gave us a good way forward.