National Assembly invites public views on 10 bills as legislative reforms gather pace
The National Assembly
By DMS
The National Assembly has invited members of the public and stakeholders to submit memoranda on ten Bills currently before Parliament, in line with the constitutional requirement for public participation in the legislative process.
In a notice issued by Clerk of the National Assembly Samuel Njoroge, the House said the Bills had already undergone First Reading and were referred to the relevant departmental committees for consideration before being tabled for debate and possible passage.
The public has until Tuesday, July 21, to submit written memoranda to the Clerk of the National Assembly through email or other designated channels.
The invitation is issued pursuant to Article 118(1)(b) of the Constitution, which requires Parliament to facilitate public participation in its legislative business, and Standing Order 127(3), which obligates parliamentary committees considering Bills to seek public views.
Among the key proposals is the Crop Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, sponsored by Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, which seeks to amend the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Act, the Tea Act and the Sugar Act by removing lending functions from sector-specific agricultural bodies.
Under the proposed changes, agricultural lending funds would instead be channelled through the Kenya Agribusiness Development Corporation Limited (KADCD) to streamline agricultural financing.
The House is also considering the Regional Development Authorities Laws (Repeal) Bill, 2026, which proposes the dissolution of regional development authorities and the transfer of their assets, liabilities, rights and obligations to the National Treasury through a designated State department.
According to the Bill, the move is intended to align national and county government functions with the Constitution, reduce budgetary pressure, improve efficiency and enhance service delivery.
Another significant proposal is the Films and Stage Plays (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which seeks to dissolve the Kenya Film Classification Board and transfer its functions back to the parent ministry as part of ongoing government reforms aimed at restructuring State corporations and reducing operational costs.
The East African Development Bank (Amendment) Bill, 2026 proposes strengthening parliamentary oversight by requiring the National Assembly to approve any authorization by the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury to issue or charge public funds from the Consolidated Fund to the East African Development Bank.
Parliament is also considering reforms in the water and irrigation sectors through two separate Bills.
The Water (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Irrigation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, seek to merge the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority with the National Irrigation Authority to create a single entity known as the National Irrigation and Water Harvesting Authority.
The proposed merger is expected to streamline water storage, irrigation management and harvesting functions while improving efficiency and reducing duplication of roles.
In the trade and investment sector, the Investment and Export Promotion Authority Bill, 2026 proposes merging the Kenya Investment Authority and the Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency to establish the Kenya Investment and Export Promotion Authority.
The government says the new institution would modernise Kenya’s investment promotion and export development framework while strengthening the country’s competitiveness in international markets.
The National Assembly is also considering the Kenya Intellectual Property Bill, 2026, which proposes establishing the Kenya Intellectual Property Authority through the merger of the Kenya Industrial Property Institute, Kenya Copyright Board and the Anti-Counterfeit Authority.
The Bill also seeks to consolidate laws governing patents, industrial designs, utility models, copyright and anti-counterfeiting into a single legal framework.
The Tourism (Amendment) Bill, 2026 proposes restructuring the tourism sector by abolishing the Tourism Research Institute and transferring some of its functions to the Kenya Tourism Board.
It also seeks to repeal provisions establishing the Tourism Finance Corporation and transfer its assets, liabilities and functions to the Kenya Tourism Board in a move aimed at improving efficiency and accountability.
Meanwhile, the Kenya Information and Communications (Amendment) Bill, 2025, sponsored by Aldai MP Marianne Kitany, seeks to introduce mandatory metered internet billing by Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
If enacted, the Bill would require ISPs to develop systems capable of accurately monitoring internet consumption, generate invoices based on actual data usage, provide customers with readable consumption records and align billing with the value of services consumed.
The proposal is intended to protect consumers from unfair internet billing practices by ensuring subscribers only pay for the data they actually use.
The Bills have been referred to various departmental committees, including those on Agriculture and Livestock, Regional Development, Sports and Culture, Finance and National Planning, Blue Economy, Water and Irrigation, Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Tourism and Wildlife, and Communication, Information and Innovation.
Copies of the Bills are available at the National Assembly Table Office and on Parliament’s website. Members of the public may submit their views through the Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly, by post, hand delivery or email before the set deadline.
The National Assembly said public participation remains a critical pillar of law-making and encouraged Kenyans and interested stakeholders to take advantage of the opportunity to influence legislation that could have far-reaching implications for governance, agriculture, trade, communications, tourism, intellectual property and public sector reforms.
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