[2021] KESC 30 (KLR)

[2021] KESC 30 (KLR)

The Supreme Court held that the application to adduce additional evidence (Hansard debates) failed to meet the threshold for admission of new evidence at the appellate stage. The evidence was not directly relevant to the issues before the Court, as it related to debates on statutes not subject to the present appeal...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2021] KESC 30 (KLR)
Parties
Appellant: Institute of Social Accountability; Appellant: Centre for Enhancing Democracy and Good Governance; Respondent: National Assembly of Kenya; Respondent: Senate; Respondent: Attorney General; Respondent: Constituency Development Fund Board
Court
Supreme Court
Court Station
Supreme Court of Kenya
Jurisdiction
Kenya
Case Number
Petition 1 of 2018
Procedural Posture
Petition / Ruling on Application for Leave to Adduce Additional Evidence
Outcome
application dismissed
Judges
PM Mwilu, MK Ibrahim, SC Wanjala, N Ndungu, W Ouko
Legal Topics
Parliamentary Privilege, Judicial Notice, Admissibility of Evidence, Constitutionality of Statutes
Source Language
en
Constitutional Law Civil Procedure Parliamentary Privilege Judicial Notice Admissibility of Evidence Constitutionality of Statutes

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Summary, issues, holding and outcome

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Parties

Institute of Social Accountability

Appellant

Centre for Enhancing Democracy and Good Governance

Appellant

National Assembly of Kenya

Respondent

Senate

Respondent

Attorney General

Respondent

Constituency Development Fund Board

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Petition / Ruling on Application for Leave to Adduce Additional Evidence

  1. 1 Whether courts could make reference to the Hansard while making judicial determinations.
  2. 2 Whether parliamentary privilege extended to acts that could be considered a violation of the Constitution.
  3. 3 Whether the declaration of a law as unconstitutional by the courts prohibited Parliament from subsequent enactment of a law that would repeal the impugned unconstitutional Act.

Ratio Decidendi

The Supreme Court held that the application to adduce additional evidence (Hansard debates) failed to meet the threshold for admission of new evidence at the appellate stage. The evidence was not directly relevant to the issues before the Court, as it related to debates on statutes not subject to the present appeal and was already the subject of pending litigation in the High Court. The Court reaffirmed that while courts may take judicial notice of parliamentary proceedings, parliamentary privilege does not shield acts that violate the Constitution. However, the proposed evidence was not shown to be necessary or decisive for the determination of the appeal, and its late introduction would...

Court Disposition

application dismissed

Orders

  • The notice of motion application dated April 16, 2021 is dismissed.
  • Costs shall abide the outcome of the main appeal.