A report published on local dailies on Monday indicated that a majority of Members of Parliament (MPs) rarely debate in parliament with a bulk of the 349 members are yet to make their maiden speeches.
According to the survey, the MPs who have been perceived to be serious with their work, going by participation in debates are only seven.
These members are Majority Leader Aden Duale, Minority Leader John Mbadi, Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung'wa, Seme MP James Nyikal, Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi, Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa and Kitui Central MP Makali Mulu.
National Assembly speaker Justin Muturi concurred with the report, worried that the era of great debaters in parliament had faded away with former Gichugu MP Martha Karua and former Butere MP the Late Martin Shikuku.
[caption caption="Majority Leader Aden Duale after High Court win on his election petition "]
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"You can tell members who don’t read bills, petitions and reports among others. They are hardly in the House and they don’t contribute to issues.
"Over nine months down the line, a majority of them have no clue how they are required to behave in the Chamber and even at the committee level," Speaker Muturi stated.
The speaker further stated that some MPs in committees could not interrogate Cabinet Secretaries due to their lack of knowledge and sometimes ignorance, hindering the execution of the House's oversight mandate.
"Then you ask, who is oversighting who? The chair of a committee must assume the powers because they represent the Speaker in their committees," Muturi urged.
Due to the difficulties, 80 MPs approached the Clerk of the Assembly, Michael Sialai to organise for a training programme by the end of May.
This despite a Ksh20 Million training programme that was organised as soon as the MPs assumed office.
The MPs have passed 16 Bills in the nine months. Of these, President Uhuru Kenyatta has assented to six.
[caption caption="File image of Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka (left), Speaker Justin Muturi, Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen and National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale"]
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The report was published by Nation, The Standard and People Daily and was attributed to Mzalendo.com, an online platform that closely monitors Parliament activities.
Kenyans.co.ke, however, got in touch with the online publication and they distanced themselves from the report.
"We wish to clarify that we have not yet done any survey or reports on the 12th Parliament.
"The information published is therefore misleading and injures our reputation," partly read the statement by Mzalendo.com Executive Director Jessica Musila.
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