The National Assembly passed amendments to alter the composition of the Assumption of Office of the President Committee membership.
Majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah detailed the changes in the miscellaneous amendment bill seeking to increase composiation of the Committee.
Once signed into law by President William Ruto, the president elect will be allocated three more slots increasing the total number to six members in the Committee boosting his or her representation.
The Secretary National Security Council, Principal Secretary (PS) Defence and three more members by president elect will sit in the Committee.
The Committee will now consist of the Secretary to the Cabinet, Attorney General, Cabinet Secretary Interior, PS Interior and PS Foreign Affairs.
PS Treasury, PS ICT, PS Cabinet Office, PS Culture, Chief of Kenya Defence Forces (KDF)) and Director General National Intelligence Service (NIS) will also form part of the Committee.
The other members include Police Inspector General, Head of Public Service, Clerks of Parliament, Judiciary and six persons appointed by the president elect.
Other Major Changes
According to the bill, the PS responsible for cabinet affairs will be the secretary to the Committee.
Besides, the changes 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.
The new changes have also moved the custody of the government seal from the office of the Attorney General (AG) to the State House.
However, during transition the AG will have custody of the public seal of the Republic of Kenya.
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Assumption of the Office of President Committee Functions
The Assumption of the Office of President Act of 2012 requires the sitting president to establish the committee 30 days before a general election.
According to the act, the committee should consist of 20 members drawn from various relevant government departments.
The Act designates the Secretary to the Cabinet as the Committee’s chairperson.
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The Committee facilitates the handing over process by the outgoing president to the president-elect.
It also organizes for the security and the necessary facilities and personnel for the president-elect.
Additionally, the Committee facilitates communication between the outgoing president and the president-elect.
It also coordinates the briefings of the president-elect by relevant public officers and organize for the swearing in ceremony.