Speaker Muturi suspends House committees operations for holiday

The operations of committees of the National Assembly will stand suspended on Tuesday next week to allow the 349 members spend their Christmas time with their constituents. 

The committees will however, resume sittings on February 4, 2019, except the watchdog committees — Public Accounts and Public Investments — whose sittings shall stand suspended until January 28, 2019.

Announcing the suspension on Thursday afternoon as the House adjourned for the long Christmas recess, Speaker Justin Muturi said that the schedule is in recognition of the nature of the committee mandates.  

“The suspension is to allow you to spend valuable time with your families during the holiday season and also attend to your constituents,” Mr Muturi said.

He also added that the break will avail the staff of Parliament an opportunity to take their annual leave and also begin preparations for the next session, which is the third of the calendar of the 12th Parliament following the August 8, 2017 general election.

The second session saw the House transact key business among them the passage of the National Youth Service Bill 2018 that seeks to transform the operations of the agency riddled with mega corruption scandals.

According to Mr Muturi, quite notable was the early mastery of parliamentary procedures and practices among the first time legislators, although, quite many are yet to make their maiden contributions on the floor more than a year since they were sworn in.

The Speaker also noted that the House benefited “immensely” from the long-serving members of the House among them leader of majority Aden Duale (Garissa Township), his minority colleague John Mbadi (Suba South), Adan Keynan (Eldas), Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja), Cecily Mbarire (nominated), Amos Kimunya (Kipipiri) among others.

“You have, as a House, made tremendous contribution to the governance of our country be it in plenary, in committees or across the constituencies you represent,” the speaker said.