NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 19 – Lawmakers have questioned a proposed provision barring anyone who has held public office within the previous five years from serving as Chief Executive Officer of the Prison Enterprise Fund.
The issue emerged as the National Assembly’s Committee on Delegated Legislation scrutinised the proposed Public Finance Management (Prison Enterprise Fund) Regulations, 2026.
Members argued that the proposed restriction could be excessive, particularly because existing legislation already provides for the disqualification of certain candidates who have held public office.
One committee member described the provision as “an overkill,” questioning the need for an additional restriction.
The Committee also raised concerns over the proposed Sh4 billion initial capital for the fund, arguing that the regulations should not prescribe an allocation that Parliament has not appropriated.
Committee Chairperson Samuel Chepkonga warned that such a provision could undermine Parliament’s budgetary authority.
“You are taking away the power of the Budget Committee to appropriate money… if parliament does not agree, then we are just legislating in vain here,” he said.
The committee further questioned the lack of clarity surrounding prisoner rehabilitation programmes and the list of approved prison enterprises.
Members urged the Ministry of Interior and National Administration to recast the regulations to provide clearer definitions and safeguards.
They particularly warned against leaving future boards with broad discretion to determine which activities qualify as prison enterprises.
Uganda’s Parliament, whose equivalent committee was on a benchmarking visit, also attended the session.
