THE CONSTITUTION OF KENYA SIGN LANGUGE INTERPRETERS ASSOCIATION

Kenya Sign Language Interpreters Association (in this Constitution referred to as KSLIA) is a non-political, non-governmental, non-profit making society. The Offices of the Association will be at University of Nairobi 8-4-4 Complex, Kenya Sing Language Research Project Department of Linguistics and African Languages. P. O. Box 22024 Nairobi, Kenya.

An Interpreter is a person who facilitates communication between the Deaf and Hearing community through Sign Language. OBJECTIVES a) To secure official recognition by the Government of S.L Interpreters profession

b) Encourage and promote initiatives in improving the standards of SL interpreting and interpreter training and pay scale of interpreters depending with their level and skills of interpretation through certification.

c) Cooperation with other recognized bodies concerned in the welfare of the deaf and in provision of S.L Interpreters throughout the world.

d) Awareness creation on Deafness and SL. Interpreters through publication of information materials

e) To collect and raise funds for the achievement of goals and objectives through membership fee, subscription, contribution, gifts or donations, commissions and payments, fund raising whether in money or otherwise from both members and non members. f) To maintain and administer a register of S.L Interpreters in Kenya.

BYLAWS

MEMBERSHIP a) Membership to KSLIA is open to all Interpreters. There are categories of membership as follows: (i). Membership fee 1000Ksh. All practicing Interpreters. (ii). Associate members (Students, other interested individuals) 500Ksh. b) Every member shall pay an annual subscription of 1000Ksh. c) Any member desiring to resign from KSLIA shall submit his/her resignation to the secretary, which shall take effect from the date receipt by the secretary of such notice. d) Any member may be expelled from membership if the committee so recommends and if a general meeting of KSLIA shall resolve by a 2/3 majority of the members present, such a member should be expelled on the grounds that his/her conduct has adversely affected the reputation or dignity of KSLIA, or that he/she has contravened any of the provisions of the constitution of KSLIA. The committee shall have power to suspend a member from the membership until the next general meeting of KSLIA following such suspension but not withstanding such suspension a member whose expulsion is proposed shall have the right to address the general meeting at which his/her expulsion is to be considered. e) Any person who resigns or is removed from membership shall not be entitled to a refund of his/her subscription or any moneys contributed by him/her at any time. f) Any member who falls into arrears with his/her annual subscription for more than 2 years shall automatically cease to be a member of KSLIA and his/her name shall be struck off the register of members. The committee may, however, at its discretion, reinstate such a member on payment of the total amount of subscription outstanding. OFFICERS OF KSLIA

a) The officers of KSLIA shall beI. Chairman II. Secretary III. Treasurer IV. Regional Representatives- Coastal, Central and Western V. Ex Official

All of who shall be fully paid up members of KSLIA and shall be elected at the annual general meeting to be held every two years at a special meeting. b) All Officers shall hold office from the date of election until the their terms expire according to rule (a) above subjected to the conditions contained in subparagraphs (c) and (d) below but shall be eligible for reelection. c) Any officer who ceases to be a member of KSLIA shall automatically cease to be an officer thereof. d) Officers may be removed from office in the same way as laid down for the expulsion of members (in rule on membership) and vacancies thus created shall be filled by the persons elected at the annual general meeting resolving the expulsion.

DUTIES OF KSLIA OFFICERS

a) The Chairperson shall, unless prevented by illness or other sufficient causes, preside over all meetings of the committee and at all general meetings. b) The Secretary shall deal with all the correspondence of KSLIA under the general supervision of the Committee. Incase of urgent matters where the committee cannot be consulted, he/she shall consult the Chairperson. The decision reached shall be subjected to the ratification or otherwise at the next committee meeting. He/she shall issue notices convening all meetings of KSLIA and its committee and shall be responsible for keeping the minutes of all such meetings and for the preservation of all records of proceedings of KSLIA and of its committee. c) The Treasurer shall receive and disburse, under the directions of the committee, all moneys belonging to KSLIA and shall issue receipts for all moneys received by him/her and preserve vouchers for all moneys paid to him/her. The Treasurer is responsible to the committee and to the members that the proper books of accounts of all moneys received and paid by KSLIA are written up, preserved and available for inspection. d) Regional Representatives will represent the members from their regions and represent KSLIA to the members in matters concerning the implementations of its policies and objections during their term of service. e) There will be an Ex Official to the committee their main service will to assist the committee with holding an office which will be vacant due to sickness, other commitments and incase of suspension of an officer until a new officer is elected. THE KSLIA COMMITTEE a) The Committee shall consist of all the Officers of KSLIA and the Patron appointed by the members at annual general meeting; such officers shall hold office until the following annual general meeting. The committee shall meet at such times and place as it shall resolve but meet not less than once every three months. b) Any casual vacancies for members of the committee caused by Death or Resignation shall be filled by the Ex Official until the next annual general meeting. Vacancies caused by the removal of an Officer will be dealt with as shown in the clause on KSLIA Officers above. c) The committee shall be responsible for the management of KSLIA and for that purpose may give direction to the Officers as to the manner in which, within the law, they shall perform their duties. The Committee shall have power to appoint such sub committee as it may deem fit desirable to make report to the committee upon which such action shall be taken as seems to the committee desirable. d) All moneys disbursed on behalf of KSLIA shall be authorized by the committee except as specified by the finance clause. e) The quorum for the meetings of the committee shall be not less than 4 members. GENERAL MEETINGS OF KSLIA a) There shall be two classes of general meetings Annual General meeting (AGM) and Special General Meetings (SGM). b) (i) The AGM shall be held not later than December in each year. Notice in writing of such AGM, accompanied by the annual statement of account and the agenda for the

meeting shall be sent to all the members not less than 21 days before the date of the meeting and, where practicable, by press advertisement not less than 14 days before the date of the meeting. At all meetings of KSLIA the Chairperson, any member of the committee in the absences of the Chairperson or any member appointed by the meeting shall take the chair. The Chairperson may at his/her discretion limit the number of persons permitted to speak in favor of and against any motion. Resolutions shall be decided by simple voting by a show of hands or by ballots depending on the issue being discussed, in the case of equality of votes, the Chairperson shall have a second or casting vote . (ii) The agenda for AGM shall consist of the following: a) Confirmation of minutes of the previous AGM b) Consideration of the Accounts c) Election of the Officers and the Trustees d) Appointments of the Auditors e) Matters arising from the committee, notices from members which are received by the secretary 4 weeks before the AGM f) Any other business with approval by the Chairperson c) A Special General Meeting may be called for any specific purpose by the committee. Notice in writing of such meeting shall be sent to all members not less than 7 days before the date thereof and were practicable by press advertisement not less than 7 days before the date of such meeting. d) A special general meeting may also be requisitioned for a specific purpose by order in writing to the secretary on not less than 2/3 of the members and such meetings shall be held within 21 days of the date of the requisition. The notice of such meeting shall be shown in (c) above and no matter shall be discussed other than that stated on the requisition. e) The quorum for the general meetings shall be not less than 2/3 of the registered members of KSLIA. TRUSTEES OF KSLIA a) All lands, buildings and other immovable property and all investments and securities which shall be acquired by KSLIA shall be vested in the names of not less than 5 trustees who shall be members of KSLIA and shall be appointed at an AGM meeting for a period of three years. On retirement such trustees shall be eligible for reelection. A general meeting shall have the power to remove any of the trustees and all vacancies occurring by removal, resignation or death, shall be filled at the same or next general meeting. b) The trustees shall pay all income received from property vested in the trustees to the Treasurer. Any expenditure in respect of such property, which in the opinion of the trustees is necessary or desirable, shall be reported by the trustees to the committee, which shall authorize expenditure of such moneys as it thinks fit.

AUDITORS FOR KSLIA a) An Auditor shall be appointed for the following year by the AGM. All KSLIAs accounts, records and documents shall be opened to inspection of the auditor at any time. The Treasurer shall produce an account of his/her receipts and payments and a statement of the assets and liabilities made up to date which shall not be less than six weeks and not more than three months before the date of the AGM. The Auditor shall examine such annual accounts and statements and either clarify that they are correct, duly vouched and in accordance with the law or report to KSLIA in what respect they are found to be incorrect, unvouched or not accordance with the law. b) A copy of the Auditors report on the accounts and statement together with such accounts and statements shall be furnished to all members at the same time as the notice convening the AGM is sent out. An Auditor may be paid such honorarium for the duties as may be resolved by the AGM appointing the Auditor. c) No Auditor shall be an Officer or a member of the Committee of KSLIA. FINANCES a) The funds of KSLIA are from the members contributions, gifts and donations from partners, friends and well wishers of the association, commissions and payments made by clients to the association. b) The funds of KSLIA may only be used for the furtherance of its goals and objectives stated in this constitution. c) All moneys and funds shall be received by and paid to the Treasurer and shall be deposited by him/her in KSLIAs bank or any banks proposed by the committee. d) No payments shall be made out of the bank account without a resolution of the committee authorizing such payments and the Treasurer and three other officer of KSLIA who shall be appointed by the committee shall sign all cheques on such bank accounts. e) The Treasurer for petty disbursements of which proper accounts shall be kept shall keep a sum of not more than Ksh.2000/-. f) The committee shall have power to suspend any officer who it has reasonable cause to believe is not properly accounting for any of the funds or property of KSLIA and shall have the power to appoint another person in his/her place. Such suspension shall be reported to a general meeting to be convened on a date not later than 2 months from the date of such suspension and the general meeting shall have full power to decide what further action should be taken in the matter. g) The financial year of KSLIA shall be from 1st of January to 31st December. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF KSLIA Amendments to the constitution of KSLIA must be approved by at least 2/3 majority of the members at a general meeting. They cannot, however, be implemented without the prior consent in writing of the Registrar, obtained upon application to him made in writing and signed by three of the officers of KSLIA.

INSPECTION OF ACCOUNTS AND LIST OF MEMBERS The books of accounts and all documents relating thereto and a list of members of KSLIA shall be available for inspection at the registered office of KSLIA by any officer or member of KSLIA on giving not less than 7 days notice in writing to KSLIA. DISSOLUTION a) KSLIA shall not be dissolved except by a resolution passed at a general meeting of the members by a vote of 2/3 of the members present. If no quorum is obtained, the proposal to dissolve KSLIA shall be submitted to a further general meeting, which shall be held one month later. Notice of this meeting shall be given to all members within at least 14 days before the date of the meeting. The quorum for this second meeting shall be the number of members present. b) Provided, however, that no dissolution shall be effected without the prior permission in writing of the Registrar, obtained upon application to him made in writing and signed by three officers. c) When the Registrar has approved the dissolution of KSLIA, no further action shall be taken by the committee or any officer of KSLIA in connection with the aims of KSLIA other than to get in and liquidate for cash all assets of KSLIA. Subject to the payment of all the debts of KSLIA, the balance thereof shall be distributed in such a manner as may be resolved by the meeting at which the resolution for dissolution is passed.

KSLIA/CNSTN/SEPT/2000.