By Mandere Onyinkwa
President William Ruto has assented to two landmark Bills aimed at strengthening professional regulation and streamlining agricultural laws.
The Social Work Professionals Bill, 2023, and the Pyrethrum (Repeal) Bill, 2024, were signed into law on Thursday.
The Social Work Professionals Bill, sponsored by Kaiti Joshua Kivinda Kimilu, establishes the Institute of Social Work Professionals and the Social Work Professionals Board to regulate standards, practice, and professional conduct in the sector.
It also creates an Examination Board to oversee professional exams and ensure Kenyan social work qualifications gain recognition locally and internationally.
Under the new law, anyone wishing to practice as a social worker must register with the Registration Committee and meet the qualifications set out in the Act, including good conduct and a recognized certificate, diploma, or degree in social work.
The Pyrethrum (Repeal) Bill, sponsored by National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, repeals the Pyrethrum Act (Cap. 340) to resolve conflicts with the Crops Act (Cap. 318).
By consolidating oversight under the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), the move eliminates duplication, streamlines operations, and aims to boost pyrethrum production, increase exports, and create jobs, particularly for youth engaged in value addition.
