National Assembly admonished for lateness, offered Sh75,000 for offices

By ALPHONCE SHIUNDU

NAIROBI, KENYA: Members of Parliament have today been admonished for their continued tardiness in attending to house business on Wednesdays. But they will smile again as they receive Sh75,000 for office rent.

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi told MPs that they must rise early to attend to house business. The sittings on Wednesday begin at 9am, however MPs have never made it on time since they began their term.

In their defense, some MPs said that they come to the house late because they do not have offices where they can execute their businesses.

Bonchari representative Richard Onyonka even hinted at a “go-slow” from MPs over the lack of offices and the delay in the processing of the mortgage for them to buy houses in Nairobi.

Cornelly Serem, who represents Aldai constituency, said the lack of offices made it difficult for them to plan their day, and that’s why most of them came late to the House.

Samburu West MP Lelelit Lati lamented that the lack of offices was driving a wedge between him and his constituents because many of them cannot understand when Lelelit tells them that he does not have an office.

Admitting that the lack of offices made it difficult for MPs to work, Muturi still urged them to attend sittings in time.

“We know you are suffering. We know some of you are working from your cars, some are working from the corridors, and some of you are working from your houses and bedrooms,” said Muturi.

To resolve the challenge of offices, the Parliamentary Service Commission has decided that each of the 133 MPs who don’t have offices will be paid Sh75,000 per month to rent offices.

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi said that the PSC had also agreed on how to compensate all those who have not had offices since March 28 when the lawmakers were sworn in.

The first payment will be made at the end of this month. The Speaker revealed the arrangement after MPs complained that the lack of offices was one of the reasons why they have failed to raise quorum in the House.

Agostinho Neto, who represents Ndhiwa Constituency, complained that most MPs in the CORD coalition had been “frustrated” because they came to the House, and never got the chance to contribute.

“My colleagues say they have been frustrated for not being able to catch the Speaker’s eye, and that’s why they don’t come to the House. There’s no point of coming here to just sit and watch,” said Neto.

But Muturi shot back: “It is not feasible that only one side of the House will speak, we always allow both sides of the House to be heard.”

“I’d encourage MPs to, at least, wake up early on Wednesday. It reflects very badly on the House that we can’t transact business because MPs have not seen it fit to begin business in the House on time.”

His sentiments were echoed by Majority Leader Aden Duale who called on Members of Parliament to emulate President Uhuru Kenyatta in time keeping.  

“We need to show the country that we are working nation. President Uhuru Kenyatta is always in his office at 7am. That we can’t raise 50 members out of 349 to transact business in this House is a serious matter,” said Duale.

Duale  added that the image of the National Assembly was at stake, now that MPs had failed to vote on conclusion of debate, because of lack of quorum. He said the lateness that happens every Wednesday should not be encouraged.

Duale told MPs that many Kenyans wake up early to be at their places of work on time, and thus the lawmakers should not be an exception.