We'll continue to summon ministers, MPs tell Raila

MPs have told Prime Minister Raila Odinga they will continue to summon the Executive to answer questions on matters of national interest.

The back benchers said the requirement that Cabinet ministers appear before Parliamentary committees to explain issues under their dockets is not about to change..

The legislators were responding to Mr Odinga's concerns that the House teams were slowing down the Executive and he cited preparations of bills to implement the Constitution as one of those affected.

Instead, Mr Odinga suggested that MPs explore other ways of having ministers respond to queries such as through writing or representations by senior government officials.

"Ministers are unable to attend the Cabinet sub-committees to prepare such crucial bills because they have been summoned to appear before Parliamentary committees," said the PM during a conference organised by Parliament and the State University of New York at the Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club, Nairobi Thursday.

"We need to find other ways of addressing these issues either by correspondence or through bureaucrats. Ministers must only appear before this committees when it is really a must."

While Parliament should be allowed to exercise its oversight functions, the Executive must also be given space to do its work, the PM stated.

Mr Odinga's concerns, however, drew sharp reactions from Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim and nominated MP Amina Abdalla.

"I know committees are a thorn in the flesh of the Executive. You will have time to do your pieces of legislation but at the same time we shall keep you on your toes," Mr Maalim told the PM.

He said Parliament had authority under the Powers and Privileges Act to summon anyone and those who defy can be charged in court.

"Irrespective of who you are, you can be summoned. That also goes to a senior Kenyan who has not attended a number of summons.

"You will be charged. We have the powers," said Mr Maalim in an apparent reference to the Director General, National Intelligence Service Michael Gichangi, who has failed to honour two summonses by the Defence and Foreign Relations committee that is investigating the "leaked" UK dossier.

"The summoning will  in fact get worse," Ms Abdalla said.

She said the trend would intensify after the next elections, the first under the Constitution where Cabinet ministers will no longer be MPs.

The Foreign Relations committee, chaired by Wajir East MP Adan Keynan, is investigating the origin and authenticity of a document tabled in Parliament, which contains allegations that  the UK plans to have the International Criminal Court indict President Kibaki over crimes committed during the post-election violence. Britain has since dismissed the document as "not genuine".

Mr Keynan's team said on Wednesday it plans to summon the President and Mr Odinga over the matter.

The committee has heard from Commissioner of Police Mathew Iteere, Internal Security minister George Saitoti and ICC cabinet sub-committee members Otieno Kajwang and Amason Kingi.