Mutuse pushes for death penalty law changes before Parliament’s term ends

Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse has urged Parliament to fast-track proposed amendments to laws governing the death penalty, stressing that the reforms should be concluded before the current Parliament’s term ends.

Mutuse wants the House Business Committee to prioritise the proposed changes, which he argues have already undergone public participation and been considered by the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee, to allow Parliament to complete the legislative process.

Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, he explained that the amendments seek to establish a legal framework that fully recognises the constitutional right to life, with the abolition of the death sentence dependent on the consensus of Kenyans.

The MP traced the proposals to the National Commission on Administrative Justice, which recommended amendments to various statutes dealing with the death sentence.

The proposals were subsequently introduced in Parliament, read for the first time and referred to the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee.