The National Assembly has passed a legislation giving Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) freedom to act and say whatever they want within the precincts of county assemblies without fear of prosecution.
During the second reading of the County Assemblies Powers and Privileges Bill, MPs agreed on the need to protect MCAs against litigation, harassment or intimidation.
“They (MCAs) will now do their work professionally and with decorum. This is an important legislation that will empower and make sure you (MCAs) do your work freely,” Balambala MP Abdikadir Aden was quoted by a local paper.
“Good those county assembly affairs are done in a way that has a lot of discipline and decorum and ensure business is done differently from predecessors,” Aden said.
Ndhiwa MP Agostino Neto said the Bill will give more mandate to MCAs to carry out their mandate without fear of intimidation by governors and the executive.
"Whenever anybody stands for public office he or she must be ready for public scrutiny," he said.
The law is meant to contain emotions and control personalisation of matters during committee and plenary sessions of the county assemblies, while protecting MCAs from litigation on their contributions to the assemblies.
The Bill prescribes discipline on those who go against the House procedures and rules.
The Bill also provides for the procedure of summoning public officers to appear before County assembly committees.