Nairobi county Speaker Hon Beatrice Elachi has declined Governor Mike Sonko’s memorandum rejecting the Supplementary Appropriations Bill.
In a lengthy ruling today at the Nairobi county assembly, Speaker Elachi says it was properly passed.
Here is part of her ruling.
Hon. Members, with the forgoing and considering the urgency of this Bill and the prevailing circumstances precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, I hereby give the following ruling:-
(a) That having found that the questions raised by the Governor in his
Memorandum on refusal to assent the Nairobi City County Supplementary
Appropriation Bill, 2020, raises questions of Constitutional in nature, and having determined that the Assembly did not breach the Constitution while passing the said Bill at the first instance, I hereby set-aside the said
Memorandum in its entirety. Consequently, the said memorandum shall not be committed to the Committee of the Whole Assembly; Nairobi county assembly.
(b) That in accordance with Section 24 (5) of the County Governments, Act, 2012, the Nairobi City County Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2020 be returned to the Governor forthwith for Assent in a manner it was passed by
this Assembly on Thursday 2nd April, 2020.
As soon as the speaker delivered this ruling, she rose from the chair and the house adjourned untill June.
Many political observers view this as a clever way of outsmarting Governor Sonko who had pulled a first one on the county assembly.
The import of this ruling therefore means the bill will automatocally become law at the lapse of seven days whether Sonko assenys to it or not.
