This archive report was first published on 5 October 2019.
On October 5, 2019, National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi addressed a pressing issue affecting the House: poor attendance of parliamentary sessions.
Specifically, the Speaker expressed concern over MPs missing committee meetings, which are vital for detailed examination of matters before they are presented to the whole House for deliberation, ratification, and legislation.
Many MPs have developed a reputation for skipping sessions and, in some cases, only attending to sign attendance and draw allowances without participating in deliberations.
This poor participation undermines proceedings in the House, as matters cannot be discussed before committees have pronounced themselves on them.
Committees deal with specialized areas, and members should be experts in those areas, bringing skills and experience to interrogate issues and guide the House.
Ministerial matters and questions are presented and interrogated at the committee level, making it essential for members to demonstrate commitment.
When committees fail to do their part, legislation is delayed, and government policies are compromised.
Speaker Muturi emphasized that MPs who miss parliamentary sessions are defrauding the public and should be penalized and removed from committees.
