This archive report was first published on 13 August 2019.
On August 13, 2019, the High Court lifted its earlier order stopping the 47 county assemblies from debating and approving the Punguza Mizigo bill.
The court's decision came after the petitioners, led by David Kamau Ngari and the International Economic Law Centre, failed to appear in court.
The petition had named several parties, including the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the Speakers of National Assembly and Senate, Thirdway Alliance, and the 47 Speakers of the county assemblies.
Ngari had faulted the bill, claiming that IEBC made a mistake in approving the 1.2 million signatures supporting the initiative without verification.
Thirdway Alliance leader Ekuru Aukot had proposed several key changes, including the introduction of life imprisonment for graft offenders, reducing the two-term presidency to a single term of seven years, and capping salaries at 50 times the lowest gazetted minimum wage.
