On Wednesday, Members of Parliament passed a report dictating better services and other facilitations they want in Parliament.
The report was compiled by the Committee on Members’ Services and Facilities after a benchmarking trip to the United Kingdom and the Northern Ireland Assembly between March 12 and 16.
The legislators complained about the poor quality of food in the parliament cafeteria and proposed the hiring of proffesional chefs.
[caption caption="Sirisia MP John Waluke displays a pot of tea offered to MPs at the Parliamentary canteen. "]
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Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) was requested to consider developing a training plan for catering staff based on the proposed skills audit and explore attachment for catering staff in five star hotels within the country.
“In order to improve catering services, it is necessary for Parliamentary Services Commission to consider urgently facilitating the renovation of the members’ restaurant including floor sanding, repainting and repairs of chairs and procurement of new table cloths,” read the report.
They also asked for the designation of one restaurant as an exclusive dining point for themselves.
Members of the National Assembly also want the Parliament gym to be renovated and PSC to hire blind people to massage them.
“We are asking Parliament to go to the Machakos School for the Blind and hire some of those people because they can do a better job,” Nominated MP David Sankok remarked.
The lawmakers have also recommended overhaul renovation of the current Kitchen, restaurant, bar, stillroom and members lounge.
"There is need to set up two more catering units to cater for the membership of the House and each unit to be allowed to work competitively to facilitate efficiency in service delivery,” adds the report.
[caption caption="Nominated MP Godfrey Osotsi"]
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Nominated MP Godfrey Osotsi mentioned that MPs spent 80 percent of their time attending committee proceedings yet meeting rooms were small and not conducive to hold serious meetings.
Osotsi noted that the rooms should be improved to ensure comfort for the members when conducting their duties.
Further, they want the toilets adjacent to the main reception in the main building to be given a more frequent touch and appropriately scented.
“The malfunctioning door locks and non-operational taps at the wash-hand basin should be upgraded with utmost urgency,” the legislators noted.
PSC was instructed to fast-track the construction of the multi-storey office block to ease the inadequacy of offices for MPs.
