'Lazy' MPs put on notice for snubbing sittings
Parliament in session.
A section of members of the National Assembly allied to the Kenya Kwanza Alliance are in for a rude shock as plans are in the offing to de-whip them from various committees.
This after Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah sounded a warning that the House is going to rein in on members who do not attend committee sittings or actively participate in House debates in a bid to instill discipline and help address notorious quorum hitches.
On Tuesday, in the chamber, Mr Ichung’wah (Kikuyu) cautioned the 'lazy' and truant MPs that their days are numbered.
“This is just to give notice to members that it will not be business as usual. We have agreed within the liaison committee that chairs will share with their whips names of members they have particular problem with in terms of House attendance and active participation in committees,” said Mr Ichung’wah.
He noted that some MPs are notorious for making technical appearances in committees, signing the attendance sheet before walking away immediately without contributing.
This, Mr Ichung’wah said is not participation but attendance that “adds no value to a committee meeting.”
This is notwithstanding that the MPs are well remunerated at the taxpayers’ expense to play their oversight role.
This includes a monthly salary of Sh710,000, which includes a basic salary of Sh426,000, a house allowance of Sh150,000 and a salary adjustment of Sh134,000.
The privileges accorded to an MP also include a committee sitting allowance. Committee chairpersons are paid Sh15,000 per sitting, vice chairpersons Sh12,000 and members Sh7,000 per sitting.
Article 121 of the constitution speaks on the quorum of the National Assembly and Senate.
The Article states that the quorum of parliament shall be 50 members in the National Assembly and 15 members in the Senate.
This means that the business in the two Houses can start without the attainment of the requisite numbers to transact the business.
With the House yet to introduce the biometric system in its committees, those not able to attend meetings collude with the committee Clerks or their colleagues to record their names and sign against them.
Mr Ichung’wah notes that at the beginning of the Thirteenth Parliament, “many members came to us asking to be placed in certain committees but then a year down the line you have attended only three meetings of that committee.”
The notable committees that up to 100 members had a keen interest in include the Budget and Appropriations, Transport and Infrastructure, Finance and National Planning, Administration and Internal Affairs and Energy.
The de-whipping exercise will be undertaken by the Committee on Selection that Mr Ichung’wah chairs and will be guided by an evaluation process that will start once the House resumes sittings after the short recess that starts on March 22, 2024 running to April 8, 2024.
“We will be asking you immediately after the recess that you also do agree with us that we enhance the efficiency of the House in processing business by having members who are very keen on attendance of committee meetings and also participation in the House,” said the Kikuyu MP.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah
Towards the end of last year, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula complained of being forced to wait for up to 15 minutes on his sit for members to troop into the chamber before the House business could start transacting business.
The chamber and committee participation evaluation process will likely address quorum hitches in the National Assembly that has now become a common occurrence making it difficult for the executive to have its business in the House fast-tracked.
The hitches, usually at the beginning of every sitting, had become so typical that the House could not transact its business without a quorum bell ringing to whip the members into the debating chamber.
In some instances, the House had to adjourn prematurely because of the quorum issues.
Either House cannot start business or take a vote on critical matters like budget, motions or Bills without attaining the requisite quorum.
On the first two days of the current session of the National Assembly, no quorum hitches before commencement of House business were witnessed prompting Speaker Wetang’ula to congratulate the members.
However, it appears that the House is sliding back to the quorum determination challenges.
The Kikuyu MP explained that the evaluation process will mean not just attendance but “how actively you participate in committee sittings.”
“We have purposed as leadership to also look at the members’ attendance in the chamber because we have a challenge. Many a times the Speaker, on his sit, has been forced to wait for members for up 10 minutes to find their way into the chamber,” he said.
This is notwithstanding that “we all know that the House business begin at 2:30 pm” when sitting in the afternoon and 9:30 when sitting in the morning. Even the morning sittings have not been spared.
“Therefore your participation in the chamber and how actively you participate in committees you were appointed to will be a key determinant in the evaluation exercise.”
On November 21, 2023, Speaker Wetang’ula openly expressed frustrations after he was humbled in the chair waiting for members to stream in the debating chamber for the House to start its business.
Speaker Wetang'ula, having had enough of the hitches, turned the heat on the office of the House leader of majority.
“Leader of the Majority Party, what happened to our covenant on quorum? I do not see any of the Chief Whips from either side!” said Speaker Wetang’ula.
“You assured the House as an Office that at the beginning of every sitting, all chairpersons of committees must be in the House because their numbers alone constitute a quorum. We have more than enough members when you add the vice-chairpersons. What happened?” posed the Speaker.
Quorum hitches may also manifest when the House is already transacting its business.
In this case, the Speaker or whoever is in the chair will order for the quorum bell to be rang and if at the end of it there is still no quorum, the House will rise for the next sitting day.
