A new analysis by the Mzalendo Trust has exposed that 22 Members of Parliament, including prominent figures like Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi and Nakuru Town West MP Samuel Arama, did not speak during parliamentary sessions for the entire year of 2019.
The report, which examined legislative activity in both the National Assembly and Senate, found that Sudi and Arama had also remained silent in 2018, while Makadara MP George Aladwa spoke only once that year. Other lawmakers with no recorded contributions in 2019 included Shinyalu MP Justus Kizito, Webuye East MP Alfred Sambu, and Mumias West MP John Naicca.
Regional representatives from areas such as Balambala (Abdi Shurie), Mandera (Amina Gedow), Awendo (Walter Owino), and Bomet East (Beatrice Kones) also appeared on the list of non-participating MPs. In the Senate, Busia’s Amos Wako and lawmakers Mercy Chebeni, Christine Zawadi Gona, and Philip Mpaayei were among those who did not speak during the 2019 session.
Mzalendo Trust executive director Caroline Gaita criticized the silence, stating that legislative work primarily occurs in the plenary and that abstaining from participation violates constitutional principles. She noted that while some MPs argue they contribute through committees or constituency work, this does not mitigate the institutional harm caused by their inaction.
The report highlighted stark disparities in performance, with Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo leading in speech counts at 334. In the Senate, Narok’s Ledama Olekina recorded 461 contributions. However, 19 National Assembly MPs and three senators made no legislative contributions in 2019.
Gaita linked the decline in parliamentary engagement to concerns about political loyalty overshadowing oversight responsibilities. The analysis also revealed that only 21% of National Assembly bills and 12% of Senate bills were assented to in 2019, the lowest rates in five years.
Regional performance varied significantly, with Homa Bay and Bungoma MPs outperforming counterparts in Garissa, Turkana, and Narok. The study also noted that public access to committee proceedings remained limited, with only 55.2% of National Assembly committee sittings open to the public compared to 72% in the Senate.
