Kenya House bars ministers from using national flags

Kenyan MPs at a past session. Parliament has passed a Bill that bars, for the first time in Kenya’s history, Cabinet Secretaries from flying the national flag on their official vehicles. PHOTO | FILE 

By  John Ngirachu ,The Citizen Correspondent

In Summary

To this list were added diplomats while in foreign missions, after MPs approved an amendment proposed by Asman Kamama, the chairman of the Committee on Administration and National Security.

Nairobi. Parliament has passed a Bill that bars, for the first time in Kenya’s history, Cabinet Secretaries from flying the national flag on their official vehicles.

Governors will also not be allowed to have the flag on their vehicles and will now be restricted to the county flag if President Uhuru Kenyatta assents to the National Flag, Emblems and Names (Amendment) Bill.

That version of the Bill was drafted by Adan Keynan (Eldas, ODM) and the fate of another passed by the Senate and drafted by Senator Dr Boni Khalwale (Kakamega, UDF) is still awaiting discussion in the National Assembly.

(Read: Governors criticise MPs plan to cut back powers - VIDEO)

It restricts the flying of the national flag on official vehicles to the President, Deputy President, Chief Justice and the Speakers of the Senate and the National Assembly.

To this list were added diplomats while in foreign missions, after MPs approved an amendment proposed by Asman Kamama, the chairman of the Committee on Administration and National Security.

Mr Kamama lost an attempt to have those who break this new law fined at least Sh1 million or jailed for a maximum five years or have the double jeopardy of being fined and jailed.

Majority Leader Aden Duale had proposed the inclusion of Cabinet Secretaries in the category of those who can have the national flag on their official vehicles but lost both the vote by acclamation and the physical voting.