The Prisons (Amendment) Bill, 2023
Status Timeline
Proposed
Active now
Public Review
Pending
Debate
Pending
Executive
Pending
Final
Pending
Abolition of Executions by Hanging
The Bill proposes to repeal Section 69 of the Prisons Act (Cap 90). This section currently requires that a person sentenced to death be hanged by the neck until dead under the direction of the Commissioner.
Alignment with International Rights Treaties
The amendment seeks to transition Kenya towards its international commitments under the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming to eliminate the psychological trauma and degrading treatment associated with the death penalty.
Bill No.
No. 54 of 2023
Gazette No.
Supplement No. 152 of 2023
Sponsor
J. Opiyo Wandayi
Background
The Prisons (Amendment) Bill, 2023, introduced by the Leader of the Minority Party, Hon. J. Opiyo Wandayi, aims to align Kenya's domestic penal practices with international human rights standards. The Bill focuses on preserving the fundamental right to life, ending cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, and eliminating the psychological trauma experienced by condemned persons under the death sentence.
Key Amendments
- Repeal of Section 69 of Cap 90: The Bill completely repeals Section 69 of the Prisons Act, which specifies that a person sentenced to death shall be hanged by the neck until dead. This effectively removes the legislative framework prescribing the manner of executing the death penalty in Kenya.
No updates tracked yet
Updates will be visible here once they are approved and applied to this bill.