President William Ruto on Sunday urged MPs to traverse the country in order for them to discharge their duties better.
Speaking at a church service in Kimilili, Bungoma County, Ruto stated that the MPs needed to understand the country first to be able to exercise oversight.
Ruto stated that the MPs had three roles including representation, legislation, and oversight of the government.
According to the President, only representation required the members of Parliament to be present in their constituencies. However, legislation and oversight are done in the national assembly, which does not require the MPs' presence in their constituencies.
“It is not a village assembly, it's the National Assembly. So MPs, you should know you have a duty to your constituency through representation but you also have a duty to the nation through legislation and oversight.”
“You have to get out of your constituency and go to the next place, understand Kenya so that as you legislate in Parliament, you understand your country,” stated Ruto
However, in another forum, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua had earlier stated that Kenyan MPs should avoid political tourism and remain in their constituencies.
“Everyone should remain in their constituencies. Stay in your constituencies! If you have been elected in another place, why are you coming to disrupt other elected MPs? What we don’t want is political tourism,” stated Gachagua.
Gachagua had added that the MPs needed to discharge their mandates to those who elected them without being spotted in different regions.
However, these remarks earned the Deputy a response from President Ruto’s ally, Oscar Sudi, who responded by stating that he was at liberty to move around as much as he needed to.
According to Sudi, he was utilising his own resources while moving around the country.
Sudi also stated that he was garnering support for the President and following his party leader’s example in his political tours.
