House: Involve both sides
What you need to know:
- Mr Muturi was initially forthright in his defence of the new provision, but he appears to have buckled after a summons to State House where the President made it clear that Cabinet secretaries should not appear before Parliament.
The National Assembly Tuesday suspended the application of the new Standing Order requiring Cabinet secretaries to appear before the House.
Putting on hold the new rule just a week after it came into effect might be a good thing considering the disquiet raised over possible flouting of the constitutional divide between the Legislature and the Executive.
However, two wrongs do not make a right. The manner in which House Speaker Justin Muturi announced the suspension of the General Oversight Committee reeks of succumbing to Executive pressure.
Mr Muturi was initially forthright in his defence of the new provision, but he appears to have buckled after a summons to State House where the President made it clear that Cabinet secretaries should not appear before Parliament.
A big problem here is that the visit to State House was limited to House leaders from the Jubilee coalition.
The Speaker and the Majority leaders representing one side of the divide can in no way purport to make, amend, or suspend any laws or rules of procedure. The most they can do is move a motion in the House annulling the new rule.
