MPs Visit Europe, Asia to Learn Cooking

A section of Members of Parliament are on a tour that will see them visit India, Netherlands and Ethiopia to learn more about how food at the National Assembly restaurant can be improved. 

According to Elijah Lagat, the Vice Chairman of the National Assembly’s Catering and Health Club Committee, his team embarked on the 'benchmarking tour' following concerns from MPs that the quality of food and the services offered at the health club, located at the basement of Continental House, was below what Senators were enjoying at their restaurant. 

Led by Majority Leader in the Assembly Aden Duale, the Legislators lamented that food quality had deteriorated since the number of lawmakers was increased from 222 to the current 349.

"If you go to the Senate, it is like the Intercontinental. In ours, the cupcakes and the mandazi look like they were cooked a long time ago," Duale lamented. 

Deputy Minority Leader Jakoyo Midiwo however, faulted his counterparts accusing them of being part of the bad state of affairs at the Health Club.

According to Midiwo, some of the lawmakers had broken the rule limiting the number of visitors to two per MP and were instead bringing crowds of constituents for lunch. 

The revelation which came during a House session where the Catering Committee was briefing the Assembly, amused even Speaker, Justin Muturi.

“The cooks should also be going for the trips so that they can learn how to do the job better. Even if you go, you will only go to eat,” he said.

Muturi asked the Committee to table a report as soon as they jet back, for other members to read. 

While most Kenyans continue to grapple with the challenges of an over burdening economy, this could be seen as just another extravagant trip to plunder millions of taxpayers' money.