Dagoretti South Member of Parliament (MP) John Kiarie, also known as KJ, has been forced to clarify details about the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Society Bill 2023.
MP Kiarie in a statement on July 2, 2024, made the clarification following a post by a user on social media platform X who claimed that the said Bill had advanced to the second reading.
The user had also alleged that the Bill aimed at laying a foundation for a future where technology serves the common good, guided by responsibility, transparency, and ethical practice.
Kiarie however in the statement dismissed the claim stating that the proposal is still being handled by the petitions committee.
“There is NO such Bill before the Kenya National Assembly. A Kenyan made a Legislative Proposal which was taken to the Petitions Committee,’ said MP Kiarie.
“It’s not a Bill and therefore has not gone through any stages of Bill consideration.”
MP John Kiarie on Proposed Bill
The legislator noted that there is a relevant Committee on Communications, Information and Innovation, which wis tasked to consider such a Bill.
Kiarie however pointed out that the Committee received it as a correspondence (letter with attachment) as it was referred to the Petitions Committee.
Earlier, the user in his claims had announced the sailing of the Kenya Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Society Bill to the second reading stage in parliament.
According to him, the Bill sought to establish the Kenya Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Society.
The society would be comprised of six office bearers including a chairperson, vice-chairperson, organizing secretary, and treasurer.
Further, the functions of the Kenya Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Society was to among others regulate and promote the development of the robotics and Al industry.
The Bill required any person or entity involved in the business of robotics or Al to be registered and licensed by the society after payment of a prescribed fee.
Those who failed to register were to face a fine of up to Ksh1 million a jail term of up to two years, or both.
MP Kiarie was forced to make the clarification following widespread uproar from a section of Kenyans.
Fierce opposition of proposed Bills this year has seen the government move to drop several of them, with the major one being the decline of the Finance Bill 2024 by President William Ruto.
Also Read: Governor Withdraws Finance Bill After Uproar
Bills Dropped
The President was forced to decline the Bill following deadly protests that eventually led to the invasion of parliament buildings after it was passed, with the aftermath of the events leaving behind a trail of destruction and more than a dozen deaths.
Subsequently, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah was forced to withdraw another Bill.
Ichung’wah withdrew the controversial Land Laws (Amendment) (Number 2) Bill, 2023 following widespread uproar.
The majority leader wrote a letter to Speaker Moses Wetangula announcing the withdrawal of the Bill which sought to impose land rent on freehold landowners and property owners who enjoy free ownership.
Ichung’wah in a letter dated June 13 explained there is a myriad of constitutional and legal issues arising from the Bill and “no further consideration of the Bill should be undertaken.”
“During the meeting of the House Business Committee, I had notified the Committee not to prioritize the consideration of the Bill to allow for consultations with the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning and the National Land Commission,” read part of the letter.
The Kikuyu MP consequently requested that the House Business Committee be notified of the withdrawal of the Bill and that no further consideration of the Bill should be undertaken.
“The Executive had further advised on the need for the ensuing issues to be addressed and resolved before further consideration of the Bill. Having consulted with the relevant stakeholders, this is now to confirm that the Majority Party has withdrawn the Bill.”
Also Read: Ruto Praises MPs Who Voted Yes, Plans Ksh1 trillion Loan After Finance Bill Rejection
Proposals
The Bill, sponsored by Ruiru MP Simon King’ara, sought to amend the Land Act of 2012 by inserting a new section immediately after Section 54.
This section states that the owner of any freehold land within the boundaries of any urban area or city shall pay an annual land levy equivalent to the land rent charged on a comparable leasehold property of the same size in the same zone.
In the proposal, it could give the Lands Cabinet Secretary power to acquire land compulsorily whenever the county or the national government determines a need to acquire a piece of land.
Experts had however warned that if enacted, the amendments could see hundreds of Kenyans lose their property to the government.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel for real-time news updates!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaB3k54HltYFiQ1f2i2C
