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{
    "id": 1417458,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1417458/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 628,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kikuyu, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Hon. Deputy Speaker, I beg to move that the National Government Administration Laws (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No.73 of 2023) be now read a Second Time. The Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs considered this Bill over a long period. Many people have been all over pressuring many Members for consideration of this Bill for obvious reasons. Part of the objects of this Bill were some slightly contentious issues that have since been ironed out. I must take this opportunity to thank Hon. Murugara and the Members of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs for considering some amendments to some statutes like the National Security Council Act. These were a bit contentious. We were able to resolve them. Some are those that touch on the Office of the Attorney-General Act of 2012, especially on the custody of our National Seal. From the Committee’s Report, you can see that the Hon. Members of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs have resolved and agreed that the Seal should remain with the Office of the Attorney-General and not the Head of Public Service. The Bill also sought to amend two other statutes: The National Government Coordination Act of 2013 and the Assumption of Office of the President Act of 2012. A majority of the amendments in the Bill relate to the administration of government. It specifically seeks to alter the role of governmental bodies and officials including the Assumption of Office of the President Committee by adding new members that include the National Security Advisor, the National Security Council Committee, the Attorney-General, the Head of Public Service, and the Offices of the Chief Administrative Secretary. That is why I said that I know people have lobbied many Members to have this Bill considered. We have been telling them to hold their horses and be patient because the time will come. That time has come. The Assumption of the Office of the President Act has been amended. The Committee has agreed with what has been proposed, to increase the membership of that committee. On the National Security Council, there were reservations. I believe the Chair of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs will speak on this as he seconds this Motion. Those of the Office of the Attorney-General were also agreed to and so were those on the National Government Coordination Act of 2013, with amendments. However, on the National Government Coordination Act of 2013, there was a line of thinking that we should limit the Chief Administrative Secretaries to 22 in line with the line ministries. It is also worth noting that other schools of thought also inform the thinking—there are state departments within the ministries. These go beyond the number of ministries up to the level of 50 to 51. Therefore, even the positions of Chief Administrative Secretaries can be more than 22 in line with state departments established along line ministries. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor"
}