Parliament adjourns due to quorum hitch day after Gachagua motion
Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang'ula.
Just hours after marshalling 326 members of Parliament to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, on Wednesday morning, the House was forced to adjourn prematurely after failing to raise the required numbers to transact business lined up for the day.
The House’s Wednesday morning sittings are always reserved for debate on business not sponsored by the leader of majority, his minority colleague or business sponsored by a committee.
This basically means that the sitting is reserved for private members’ Bills and motions.
In the event the leader of majority and minority or committees of the House have matters to be transacted during the morning sitting of Wednesday, the Speaker may grant an exemption.
However, when the House convened for the sitting on Wednesday morning, there was no quorum despite 14 motions and four private member’s Bills being listed for debate on the Order Paper, a paper that contains a schedule of business to be transacted in the House.
Not even the quorum bell that rang for 15 minutes as directed by Deputy Speaker Gladys Shollei (Uasin Gishu County Woman MP) to alert members of the insufficient numbers in the House, yielded anything.
“There being no quorum, the House stands adjourned until 2:30 pm today,” directed Ms Boss as the House suspended the morning sitting.
Article 121 of the Constitution states that the quorum of Parliament shall be 50 MPs in the case of the National Assembly or15 members in the case of the Senate.
When the House adjourned yesterday, there were barely 20 members in the House.
The MPs conduct their business in Parliament and their failure to show up to do what they were elected by Kenyans to do, could be an indication that they don’t take their work seriously.
The latest quorum hitch could be an indication that what affects the people is the least of the MPs’ concerns.
Previously, the House has failed to pass critical matters for lack of quorum.
The enactment of the elusive Two-Thirds Gender rule is one such law that has not been enacted for the last 10 years despite many attempts and court orders as well as Supreme Court advisories.
For instance, on September 21, 2020, the immediate former Chief Justice David Maraga advised then President Uhuru Kenyatta to dissolve parliament over its failure to enact the Two-Thirds Gender Rule Bill.
There have been many attempts to enact the Bill to implement the principle that not more than two-thirds of the members of elective or appointive bodies shall be of the same gender.
However, on three occasions the Bills found itself on the floor of the House, it failed to go beyond the second reading stage for lack of quorum.
Being a constitutional amendment Bill, it requires the support of at least 233 members in the National Assembly, which is two-third of the 349-member House to proceed to the next level.
The Bills that had been lined up for consideration by the House on Wednesday include the Kenya Information Communications (Amendment) Bill 2022 by Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo, Community Health Workers Bill 2022 by Martin Owino (Ndhiwa), the Higher Education Loans Board (Amendment) 2022 by Machakos County Woman Representative Joy Kamene.
There was also the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges (Amendment) Bill 2023 by Bumula MP Jack Wamboka.
Motions lined up
The 14 motions that had been lined up for debate include a motion to support and promote local fertiliser manufacturers in the country by Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi, which seeks a regularization of fertiliser importation in the country.
There was also the national sensitisation and support for combating sickle cell and hemophilia disease in the country by Matungu MP Peter Nabulindo.
The motion wants the national government and county governments to conduct awareness and sensitization programmes on the two diseases.
It also wants the government to support research and training for medical personnel on the diseases and put measures in place for the mandatory screening of newborn babies in all public health facilities in the country to create databases to guide funding and reduce infant mortalities.
The MPs were also set to consider motions on the provision of appropriate access to markets in the country by Kericho Woman Representative Beatrice Kemei and the establishment of a science museum by Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie.
Also lined up for debate by the MPs was the motion on government-to-government (G2G) model to acquire and supply fertilizers to farmers at subsidized cost by Mbeere MP Geoffrey Ruku.
There is development of measures to mitigate digital exclusion by Aldai MP Marianne Kitany, establishment of a national policy to combat disrespectful childbirth practices in Kenya by Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba.
Further, the House was to consider the motion on the formulation of a land use policy and built development by Westlands MP Timothy Wanyonyi, formulation of a regulatory framework on artificial intelligence in the country by the Aldai MP.
The other motions are review of the eligibility age for enrolment of older members of society to the Inua jamii cash transfer programme by Kabchai MP Majimbo Kalasinga, formulation of a reward scheme for accomplishments by sports persons in international competitions by Mwingi West MP Charles Ngusya.
There was also the expansion of major roads in the country to dual carriageways by Nyandarua County Woman Representative Faith Gitau and uundaji wa sera za kushughulikia matukio ya ubaguzi dhidi ya wanafunzi wa dini mbalimbali katika taasisi za elimu nchini by Nyali MP Mohamed Ali.
The introduction of mandatory community service to all learners upon completion of secondary school education by Starehe MP Amos Mwago and comprehensive reform of education bursary schemes to ensure free basic education in Kenya.
