President Uhuru Kenyatta signed six parliamentary bills into law on Wednesday, including the Sustainable Water Management Bill, Irrigation (Amendment), and the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal (Amendment) Bill, as well as the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, Children Bill, and Community Groups Registration Bill, all of which are dated 2021.
The new Sustainable Waste Management Act establishes a strong legal and administrative framework for waste management in order to fulfil the constitutional mandate for a clean and healthy environment.
It establishes the Waste Management Council, whose duty includes overseeing the execution of the national sustainable waste management strategy, among other measures, to provide policy, coordination, and oversight of waste management, and to promote a circular economy for green growth.
The Community Groups Registration Act, on the other hand, creates a framework for the registration and control of community organisations in regards to issues like the fusion and amalgamation of such groups.
The revised Children Act gives effect to Article 53 of the Kenyan Constitution, among other changes, by elevating the idea of “best interests of the child” to the top priority in all matters and decisions involving children.
The new Children Act also establishes parental accountability and includes progressive rules for the safety and upbringing of kids, such as giving family-based care first priority through foster care, adoption, custody, maintenance, guardianship, kinship care, and kafaalah, among other options.
As a result, the law substantially shifts the duty of child care to the state and the community, leaving room for the Cabinet Secretary responsible for children’s affairs to construct statutory childcare institutions.