MPs okay amendments on composition of Assumption of Office of the President Committee

By the time the swearing-in of a new president takes place, a lot of behind-the-scenes deliberations and preparations take place, spearheaded by the assumption of office of the president committee.

The National Assembly has passed critical amendments to alter the composition of the Assumption of Office of the President Committee membership.

In the changes contained in a miscellaneous amendment bill by Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwah, the president-elect has been allocated three more slots to hand him six members in the committee, boosting his or her representation in the transition committee.

Ichungwah tabled amendments to the Assumption of Office of the President Act of 2012 to, among others, increase the composition of the team, and enhance the number of the team representing the president-elect from three members to six members.

Once signed into law, the secretary to the National Security Council, the Principal Secretary for Defence as well as three extra members appointed by the president-elect will sit in the powerful transition committee.

The transition team when fully in place will now have representatives from key ministries of interior, defence, ICT and foreign affairs, the chief of Kenya Defence Forces, the NIS director general, parliament clerks and judiciary registrar, among others.

The changes to the 2012 act will also allow members of different expertise to sit and participate in the committee deliberations but will not be allowed to take a vote on any decision.

According to the Ichungwah-sponsored bill, the principal secretary responsible for cabinet affairs will be the secretary to the assumption of office of the president committee.

The new changes fronted by the government benches have also moved the custody of the government seal from the office of the attorney general to the State House but during the transition, the Attorney General shall have custody of the public seal of the Republic of Kenya