Senate Speaker Amason Kingi on Wednesday, June 14, rejected Cabinet Secretaries Kithure Kindiki (Interior) and Moses Kuria (Trade) appeal to skip the House's summons to answer questions touching on their dockets.
Addressing Parliament, Kingi explained that he received letters from both CSs hours before the session was scheduled to begin and found their reasons unsatisfactory.
The plea from the duo negated President William Ruto's promise that his government would be accountable to the public by answering questions in Parliament whenever called upon.
The speaker revealed that the CSs had defied another letter sent by the Clerk of the Senate informing them to be present during the House Proceedings.
Kingi, therefore, directed that a Motion of Censure be enacted and the matter deliberated during a special Senate Business Committee (SBC) set to be held on Thursday, June 15.
What is a Motion of Censure?
A Motion of Censure is a motion that expresses disapproval that is debated by the assembly and adopted by a majority vote. Once the members vote, a decision is determined to give way forward over the matter.
"Questions number 11 and 12 were directed to the Interior CS. However, we received a letter informing the Senate that the CS will not be present today to respond to these questions.
"That letter was found unsatisfactory and another letter was sent by the clerk to the office of the CS informing him that he has to be present today. Despite that letter, the CS did not comply. Therefore, under standing Order 51 (d), where if a CS fails to appear and does not give any satisfactory reason as to why they failed to appear, then a motion of censure shall ensue," Kingi directed.
Laikipia Senator John Kinyua lauded Kingi's directive - noting that the Senate was forced to reschedule the session twice after the CSs did not comply with the House procedure.
"I think the CSs are not taking this House seriously so I would recommend that you must be firm with this matter during the SBC," he stated.
In March 2023, MPs approved amendments to Standing Order 25A that allowed a CS to expound on government policy, reply to questions and provide reports on matters affecting national issues.
Kindiki, on April 12, 2023, appeared in Parliament as the first CS in Ruto's government to respond to the pertinent questions from the House.
