National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula, has appealed for fairness and consistency in how the Judiciary,civil society and development partners engage with Parliament.
Wetangula who was speaking during the 2024 Annual High Court Human Rights Summit in Nairobi underscored Parliament’s unwavering commitment to the rule of law calling on the Judiciary to adopt a balanced approach when reviewing Bills and other legal instruments.
The Speaker pointed out Parliament’s active role in promoting human rights, referencing to the ongoing legislative initiatives such as Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2023 with this Bill aiming to safeguard the rights of persons with disabilities as stipulated in Article 54 of the Constitution.
“Parliament is dedicated to adhering to the constitution and shall always abide by court rulings, the weighing scale and blindfold represent the Judiciary’s obligation to impartiality and the objective assessment of evidence, while the sword underscores the need for enforcement and respect for court decisions,” said Wetangula.
He disclosed that Parliamentary Committees are currently investigating allegations of human rights violations, including cases involving the British Army Training Unit in Nanyuki and the historical dumping of toxic waste in northern Kenya among many other cases.
Wetangula commended the Judiciary for its steadfast dedication to upholding the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, noting that for the last 14 years, the Judiciary has consistently risen to the occasion, guiding the nation along the constitutional path envisioned by the framers of our Constitution.
The National Assembly Speaker expressed gratitude to the Summit organizers for fostering dialogue among key stakeholders, including legal professionals, civil society representatives and development partners.
The Annual Summit serves as a platform for stakeholders to deliberate on critical issues relating to justice, human rights, and governance with this year’s theme centered on fostering collaboration among institutions to enhance the enforcement of human rights laws and constitutional principles.
“I am proud of being among the few in the top leadership of this country who have gotten the opportunity to serve in all the three arms of government, have served in the judiciary, I have been in the executive where I served as a Cabinet Minister and I have served for many years in the legislature,” said Wetangula.
The Speaker told the forum that out of his class of 45 in Law School in the University of Nairobi 23 of them have served as judges pointing out that his class also produced Attorney General Justin Muturi who previously served as National Assembly Speaker.
