Suba South Member of Parliament, Caroli Omondi, has described the 13th Parliament as an underperforming institution, whose output has fallen below expectations despite having adequate resources.
Speaking candidly during an interview on Monday, December 15, 2025, Omondi said his assessment was fair and informed by firsthand experience, noting that Parliament’s struggles are not superficial but deeply rooted in how the National Assembly operates.
MP Omondi listed various causal factors for the 13th Parliament’s underperformance, placing the bulk of the blame on political parties.
The Suba South MP accused political parties of capturing Parliament and weakening the institution’s independence. He argued that the political parties had turned legislators into voting blocs rather than independent thinkers.
Additionally, the MP claimed that political parties had facilitated the entry of incompetent individuals into the National Assembly, thereby reducing debate to cheering and jeering rather than serious legislative scrutiny.
According to Omondi, MPs willing to work across party lines, including with the ‘opposition’, were often restrained by party rules that discouraged cross-party engagement.
“Members who want to do their things, who want to work with other colleagues, cannot do it because of political parties,” lamented the first-time MP.
He added that even competent legislators within mainstream parties struggle to perform effectively, insisting that Kenyans must abandon the belief that good leaders must belong to dominant political outfits.
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He also criticised Parliament for wasting time, likening Parliamentary sessions to political rallies where members monopolised the microphone with lengthy speeches that added little legislative value to the discussions.
He further expressed concern over prolonged delays in passing laws, arguing that the legislative process has become painfully slow.
“I have proposed eight bills in Parliament, only two are in the government printers, and it has been more than one year!” decried the parliamentarian.
Furthermore, he described the 13th Parliament as dysfunctional, citing the occasional blurring of lines between the Minority and Majority Leaders in the House.
Omondi concluded his dressing down of the National Assembly’s performance by describing the vetting processes as tasks in which the legislators employed embarrassingly minimal reflection in matters requiring critical thinking.
In contrast, the legislator was quick to clarify that parliamentary staff were not to blame, praising them as some of the most professional and efficient public servants he has worked with during his time in the National Assembly.
He also defended the Speaker, arguing that the office holder could not shoulder responsibility for Parliament’s failures. According to Omondi, the Speaker does not vote on legislation and can only be as effective as the Members sitting in the House.
