In a striking revelation that has ignited concern over parliamentary integrity, Rarieda Member of Parliament Otiende Amollo has exposed.
How a previously defeated bill was covertly reintroduced and passed through what he describes as "legislation by ambush."
The legislator's account points to a significant erosion of democratic oversight within the National Assembly, raising alarms about the health of Kenya's lawmaking institutions.
Amollo detailed how the Pipeline Privatisation Bill, which had been successfully opposed .
withdrawn during a previous parliamentary session, unexpectedly reappeared through a last-minute alteration to the Order Paper.
By the time MPs became aware of the maneuver, the legislation had already been approved, bypassing substantive debate and scrutiny.
The outspoken MP attributed this concerning development to the weakening of parliamentary independence through political patronage and the consolidation of power under the current administration.
He argued that the broad-based government, initially expected to foster national unity, has instead diminished effective opposition and critical scrutiny.
According to Amollo, any attempts to question government bills now result in members being branded as "enemies of the government."
Expressing visible frustration, Amollo characterized the tactic as fundamentally undemocratic, stating that it represents not genuine lawmaking but rather "legislation by ambush."
His revelations shed light on the growing challenges facing parliamentary oversight in an environment where the executive branch commands overwhelming majority support in the National Assembly.
The incident has sparked broader concerns about the future of legislative transparency and accountability in Kenya, with many observers warning .
That such practices could undermine public trust in democratic institutions and establish dangerous precedents for how contentious legislation is enacted.
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