No-show MPs affecting work of committees

There are fears that the public will continue getting unsatisfactory answers from Cabinet Secretaries to clarifications on issues sought on its behalf by the legislature.

Parliamentary committees have had problems with quorum — with as low as three members showing up — leading to the postponement of a number of sessions.

And legislators who do attend often dash out barely halfway into the deliberations to attend meetings in other committees where they are also members.

Political interests have also made it difficult for the committee members to exhaustively probe Cabinet Secretaries and other senior government officials appearing before them.

Most chairpersons of both the Senate and National Assembly are from the ruling Jubilee coalition, and have to choose between loyalty and accountability.

WERE DELIGHTED

This explains why legislators were delighted by a move to have cabinet secretaries personally appear before a committee constituting all the MPs — Committee on General Oversight, every Tuesday, to respond to questions.

It all began when MPs complained that cabinet secretaries were not taking House business seriously, particularly whenever chairpersons of committees forwarded questions to them.

Some cabinet secretaries, it was noted, took too long to act on Parliament’s requests, some didn’t take the matter seriously and asked junior officers at the various ministries to find answers to the questions and send the feedback directly to Parliament.

The rules of procedure in Parliament provide that responses to questions sought from ministries must be from the cabinet secretaries.

Mr John Mbadi (Suba, ODM) admits that the performance of committees is questionable given that virtually all the committees are chaired by Jubilee MPs who may sometimes be inclined to protect the government.

“Sometimes, we get worried if indeed what is reported in the House is what was processed by the committee. Sometimes, MPs get surprised with some answers that they find to be new yet they sit in those committees” Mr Mbadi said in an interview.

This, he said, could mean that such MPs did not attend committee meetings, or that the issues being raised were generated through a phone interview between the committee chairperson and the respective ministry, in a bid to beat the House deadline.

What is more, committee chairpersons cannot be held accountable for promises given on behalf of government when responding to supplementary questions in the House, mostly emanating from statements from different ministries.

Mr Mbadi said it is unfortunate that some MPs do not appreciate the fact that every legislator, whether in government or in Opposition, has a duty to check the executive.

“Many MPs talk as if they are part of the executive.”

Senators too have complained that cabinet secretaries prioritise matters emanating from the National Assembly and are reluctant to honour invitations from Senate.

Senate Majority Leader, Prof Kithure Kindiki (Tharaka-Nithi, TNA) admits that it would have been easier to transact House business if the cabinet secretaries were picked from among MPs.

“Unfortunately, that cannot be the case unless we amended the constitution… But we have to improve on the methodology of engaging with the cabinet secretaries,” Prof Kindiki said.

He proposed that Parliament abolishes statement hour, where legislators have to ask questions about issues affecting their electorate, and allow chairpersons to provide answers from the relevant ministries.

These, he said, can be compiled over a definite period of time and answers provided to the House on a specified day by the majority leader who will have consulted with the respective secretaries.