Executive, Legislature read form different scripts on CS summons

Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Junior says Cabinet secretaries are not just asked to appear before the committees. They are given a seven-day notice. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • A senior member of the Executive said Cabinet secretaries spend a lot of time seeking answers and appearing in Parliament.

  • Senate and the National Assembly seem to be working at cross purposes

  • A CS was recently summoned to appear before different committees more than 20 times in a month.

The relationship between the Executive and Parliament is headed for a collision after senior government officials expressed reservations about the number of times ministers are summoned by MPs.

A senior member of the Executive said Cabinet secretaries spend a lot of time seeking answers and appearing in Parliament.

The issue is compounded by the fact that the Senate and the National Assembly seem to be working at cross purposes as they at times could be investigating the same issue and send invites to a minister to appear before their committees at same time.

DAM TRAGEDY

The two Houses are investigating the Ruaraka land saga, Solai dam tragedy, Kenya Airways and several others.

The chairman of the Senate ad hoc committee on the dam tragedy, Mutula Kilonzo Jr, said the issue can be sorted administratively by the two Speakers agreeing on what each House should look into.

He, however said Parliament will not shy away from summoning ministers on matters that are of national importance.

“Cabinet secretaries are not just asked to appear before the committees. They are given a seven-day notice,” Mr Kilonzo said.

NO MANDATE

“The reason they are asked to come is because Parliament is a House of Hansard. Written answers cannot be put in a Hansard. Ministers should strive to manage their time.”

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi last week dismissed an attempt by senators to investigate the Solai tragedy that killed more than 40 people.

He said the committee was wasting its time since the Senate has no mandate over government organs.

Most summons have been issued to the ministries of National Treasury, Interior and Agriculture.

20 TIMES

A minister was recently summoned to appear before different committees more than 20 times in a month.

There was a standoff in Parliament on Tuesday last week when a Senate committee demanded that Interior CS Fred Matiang’i appears before it in person to answer queries relating to the dam tragedy.

This is despite having provided answers presented by Chief Administrative Secretary Patrick Ntutu.

State officials who spoke to the Nation said some MPs seek questions from a minister then leave immediately before an answer is delivered.

THREE QUESTIONS

“Recently, a Cabinet secretary was asked nine questions. The MPs who had asked them did not turn up. Only three questions were answered. This is despite the CS having arrived in time and waited for the lawmakers for 30 minutes,” an official who requested anonymity said.

The 2010 Constitution was supposed to cure the problem but Cabinet members are now in Parliament for up to three days a week.

In the last Constitution, Cabinet ministers were drawn from the House. Many of them spent more time Parliament than in their offices.