Friday, 16 November 2012

Civil Society Groups lobby MPs to pass Public Benefit Organisations (PBO) Bill


Key Civil Society Groups are appealing to Members of Parliament to pass the Public Benefit Organizations (PBO) Bill which is expected to streamline the civil society sector in Kenya.

The PBO Bill, 2012, if enacted into law, will lead to a new enabling legal, regulatory and institutional framework for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) doing public benefit work in Kenya.

The Bill was submitted as private members Bill with the support of the parliamentary committee on Labor and Social Welfare and was published was on 27th April, 2012. It went through the 1st reading in parliament on 27th June 2012. 

“A new enabling legal environment is essential in ensuring good governance by the CSOs, protecting legitimate civil society activities and will provide a pertinent framework for the engagement of CSOs in the implementation of the new constitution,” says Wambua Kawive, Executive Secretary- CRECO and Co-Chair, CSO Reference Group.

Parliament is due to resume sitting next week and the PBO Bill 2012 is among the Bills expected to be tabled on the floor of the House.

The CSO Reference Group which has been providing leadership in putting together and lobbying for the passage of the Public Benefits Organisations (PBO) Bill, has mobilized, informed and consulted with other stakeholders on the development of the Bill. A successful stakeholders Retreat to discuss the PBO bill was hosted by the Parliamentary Committee on Labour and Social Welfare in August 2012.

In a statement, Wambua Kawive, CSO Reference Group Co Chair says “We invite stakeholders to continue giving input and memorandum for amendments to the Parliamentary Committee on Labour and Social Welfare to improve the PBO Bill before its final discussion in parliament.”


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