Senate's Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen and his National Assembly counterpart Aden Duale engaged in a war of words after a visit to the State House.
Taking to Twitter, the two fought over the Health Bill that President Uhuru Kenyatta signed into law with Murkomen claiming that the entire move was illegal.
The Senate's majority leader argued that during the making of the bill, the Senate was not consulted and the National Assembly bulldozed its way through with poor advice to Uhuru to sign the Bill.
"Just before the signing ceremony, I overheard that there were Health Laws to be signed. I protested to (Duale) Solicitor General and other State House staff for presenting Health Laws for signature against the Constitution. I told them they had the duty to give proper counsel to His Excellency.
"Constitution makes it mandatory for Senate to be involved in the passing of all laws either by the concurrence of the speaker that it doesn’t concern county or if it does concern county must be debated and considered by both houses. That's when you can call it an Act of Parliament," posed Murkomen.
Duale was, however, not taking any of Murkomen's attacks lying down. He blasted the senator's drastic turn of events especially considering that he stood very close to the President during the signing.
"To my utter shock the leader of majority party of the Senate, Senator (Murkomen) has been reported arguing that the Act was passed unprocedurally as it was never considered by the Senate as required by the Constitution.
"Never mind yesterday media was awash with pictures of Senator Murkomen standing next to the President assenting to the same Bill which he is now challenging how it was processed by the National Assembly. This is pure hypocrisy and one which requires to be treated with contempt!" Retaliated Duale.
The MP further explained that the passage of the Bill included numerous changes recommended by the President himself.
"This is not Duale‘s handwriting neither is it his English. The purported health laws Amendment Act having been passed without due regard to the Constitution especially Arts. 109 & 110 are unconstitutional and therefore null and void," posted Murkomen.
The Health Bill contained changes in the Pharmacy and Poisons Act Cap.244, the Nutritionists and Dieticians Act, 2007, the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act Cap 253, the Nurses Act Cap. 252 and the Kenya Medical Training College Act Cap. 261.
