Senators have expressed keen interest in pushing for Senate to be the official Upper House in the Kenyan set-up.
Currently as constituted, Senate is only limited to dealing with matters county government Bills, besides handling impeachment of the president.
However, Senators are keen to turn tables, calling for a strengthened Senate in the Building Bridges Initiative report.
“We should define what the Senate should do and what the National Assembly should do. The mandates of these two houses should be captured in the BBI report and in the Constitution,” Nyandarua Senator Mwangi Githiomi said on Thursday as quoted by the Star.
“There shouldn’t be something like money bills. All bills from the National Assembly should come to the Senate. It is time we decide to either have a Senate or not," he added.
Siaya Senator James Orengo, who was part of the constitutional implementation team, backed the fresh bid to make Senate the Upper House.
“The Senator has said it all. The Senate should be empowered and Kenyans should decide,” Orengo said.
In other jurisdictions, Senate has often served as the upper house, giving ultimate directions where it matters on governance issues.
Like in the US, Senate handles all bills that emanate from lower house (Congress) including impeachment.