President William Ruto's first Finance Bill, now an Act, three key Bills at the heart of his health sector transformation agenda and the Appropriation Bill, 2023 are among the 18 Bills passed by the National Assembly as the curtain came down on the second session.
At the end of the Second Session (which ran from February 14 to December 7, 2023), the National Assembly had 114 Bills at various stages of consideration. Eighteen (18) Bills were passed and assented to by President Ruto.
Some of the key Bills that were considered by the House and are now law include the Finance Bill, 2023 , the Appropriation Bill, 2023 and two Supplementary Appropriation Bills, the Digital Health Bill, 2023 , the Social Health Insurance Bill, 2023, the Facilities Improvement Financing Bill, 2023, the Primary Health Care Bill, 2023 and the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (Amendment) Bill (2023).
Clerk of the National Assembly Samuel Njoroge told the Nation that things can only get better this year when the House resumes its sittings in February.
"The National Assembly can only get better this year and produce more Bills and motions that will serve our nation and the general public. We look forward to welcoming all members back and continuing with the business of the third session," said Mr Njoroge.
He said the first sessions, which are normally held in September and December immediately after elections, are usually very short and do not give members enough time to pass many bills.
The Finance Bill passed by MPs provides for the government's revenue-raising measures to facilitate the budget estimates for the 2023/2024 financial year, the first under President Ruto's tenure.
The Bill was passed amidst outcry from stakeholders who rejected a number of proposals in it, such as the introduction of a housing levy to fund the government's affordable housing initiative and an increase in the fuel levy.
The Appropriation Bill, 2023 and two Supplementary Appropriation Bills, which were also passed by Parliament in June and November last year respectively, provided funding for the government or reallocated funds for emergency response to extreme drought and floods last year.
As Kenya hosted the first African Climate Summit in September, lawmakers passed the Climate Change (Amendment) Bill 2023, which provides for the regulation of carbon markets to enhance response to climate change and provide mechanisms and measures to achieve low-carbon, climate-resilient development.
In September, Parliament also passed the four related health bills that President Ruto has been banking on to drive his health transformation agenda.
Although the four bills - Digital Health Bill, 2023; Social Health Insurance Bill, 2023; Facilities Improvement Financing Bill, 2023; Primary Health Care Bill, 2023 - caused an uproar, especially among health sector stakeholders, they were all passed and assented to by President Ruto.
It will also be mandatory for all Kenyans to be members of the Social Health Insurance Fund, failure to which they will be denied services by both the national government and the Social Health Insurance Fund.
The Social Health Insurance Bill established a legal framework to regulate the provision of social health insurance, promote the achievement of Universal Health Coverage and ensure that all Kenyans have access to affordable, comprehensive and quality health services.
Three public funds were established under the Act, namely the Primary Healthcare Fund, the Social Health Insurance Fund and the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund, to finance healthcare services.
The lawmakers also approved the award of a charter to the first Open University of Kenya, a move aimed at enabling the establishment of the first fully online university to provide an avenue for open, distance and e-learning that will expand access to university education through the provision of flexible modes of study.
