MPs pass Bill stripping Governors, MCAs of titles
Members of Parliament have stripped Governors and Members of County Assembly of the ‘Excellency’ and ‘Honorable’ titles, respectively.
Governors and MCAs will henceforth only be referred to as such with no accompanying title.
Anyone who flouts the new provisions, once the Order of Precedence Bill is assented, will be fined up to Sh 2 million or 12 months imprisonment or both.
The decision reached through amendments to the Order of Precedence Bill which was passed in Parliament on Wednesday.
The Bill addresses seniority and hierarchy of officers for officials at diplomatic, official and social state functions within the country and abroad. It gives official titles of designated office holders.
PROTOCOL ISSUES
The title of ‘His/Her Excellency’ will now only be reserved for the President, his deputy and their spouses. The title ‘Honorable’ is reserved for MPs for purposes of all public address.
MPs said the law was necessary to cure protocol issues that result to clash of titles and confusion in ranking of officers.
“The law is there to bring clarity in the order of precedence, it not about being selfish to Governors and MCAs,” Kiminini MP Dr Chris Wamalwa said.
“Let MCA s know from today onwards that they are MCAs and Governors are Governors…or they will be fined up to Sh 2 million,” the MP said.
The Bill sponsored by Eldas MP Adan Keynan also removes Cabinet Secretaries, the Attorney General and Auditor General from the list of state officers who shall be entitled to use sirens on their motorcades and processions.
SIRENS
Governors will not be allowed either.
Failure to comply will be considered an offence and earn a fine of not less than Sh 1 million and up to Sh 2 million or a one year imprisonment or both.
The President and his deputy, the Speakers of Parliament, the Chief Justice, the Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces, the Inspector General of Police are the only state officers who will be entitled to use sirens.
The Bill was also amended allow former Presidents and Prime Ministers to use sirens on their motorcade and processions.