Bungoma County Governor Kenneth Makelo Lusaka on Wednesday launched County laws that had been passed by the County Assembly to serve as guidelines to residents of Bungoma.
“We all know that laws are important to any society as they prescribe norms and standards of conduct for citizens while providing proper guideline and orders the behavior of all citizens enabling us to sustain equity to all the arms of government,” said governor Lusaka.
According to Lusaka it was great pleasure to unveil the seven acts that had been passed and gazetted to be used as laws of Bungoma.
These are the seven laws :
1. The Bungoma county assembly service body act of 2015.
This was first accented on 1st of July 2015 in the county assembly. The act makes provision for establishment of Bungoma county service body, pursuant to section 12 (1) of the county government acts and for connected purposes.
It is an act that makes provision for the county assembly service values, service code of conduct, disciplinary control of officers and more importantly establishing of a non contributory pension scheme for all employees of the county assembly.
The purpose of the act is also to provide further functions and power of the board pursuant to section 20 (7)(e) of the county government act ,2012.
2. The Bungoma transport act,2015.
The transport sector being one of the areas contributing to the growth of Bungoma economy, this act will bring sanity and order among stakeholders.
This act is about the movement of people and motor vehicles within Bungoma county, movement that enhance trade, commerce and serve delivery. The law provides legislation in matters relating to traffic, parking, street lighting and public road transport, which establishes the county department of transport.
It aims at creating an integrated and efficient transport system in Bungoma county.
3. The youth polytechnic act 2015.
This act will see the establishment of polytechnic that will offer courses in technology, applied sciences, and management by ensuring the rightful standards are observed and followed.
The polytechnic will help in training young people to acquire relevant occupational trade skills and enable them earn a living .
4. The early childhood acts 2015.
Recognizes the roles played by early childhood in the development of children, it also provides a frame work for establishment of the system of administration of early childhood education within the county and gives provision for the rights to free and compulsory childhood education to children. This includes registration of education centers, conditions of registration, registration of private education centers among others.
5. The alcoholic act 2015.
Provides licensing, regulation, production, sell and distribution of alcoholic drinks.
This gives the sub county committee mandate to issue and regulate the licenses, the marketing areas will be done at designated place and also time of drinking will be stipulated.
6. The Bungoma county decentralized units acts 2015.
The acts provides the structure of the Bungoma county decentralized units of administration, delineation and establishment of the village units, this brings service close to people as stipulated by law by including the ward administrators and this creates employment to people.
7. Flag emblem acts 2015.
This act will help to avoid confusion with other flags and prevent improper use of county flag of certain emblems, names, words, and licenses for professionalism and commercial purposes this prohibits the display of certain flags.
Mr. Lusaka thanked all county assembly members, the committee members, the speaker by ensure ring that the laws are passed and they should also ensure that they are enforced.
He further warned the civil servants for engaging in politics and that they should wait until 2017 to do politics on fair ground.
“If you use government property to campaign the law will take action” said Lusaka.
He also called upon residence to pick their ID’s and register in numbers to avoid congestion in the next phase of registration.
Other attendants in the meeting were speaker of county assembly John Makali who said that they have currently passed 14 bills and added that other remaining bills such as civic education bill, public participation bill this will enable public to participate in county management budget.
Its the third year since the devolution come into power and Bungoma county assembly have only passed 14 bills ,of which seven of them have been gazetted to be laws.
this is a very small number compared to the one stipulate in the constitution of at least passing fifty bills in a span of five years.