mzalendo :: Eye On Kenyan Parliament

Begging, pleading, sweet talking, threatening and tears DO work wonders

Good things come to those who wait and boy have good things come this way!

Yes sir, we have been able to get most of the Hansards going right back to 2003.

The game  plan is now to index, cross reference and put them online. So you can search and see precisely what your MP has said and done for the last four or so years.

In black and white.

Hansards & Standing Orders

Begging, pleading, cajoling and sweet talking can get you anywhere. If all goes well we should be able to get our hands on complete copies of the Hansard going back to 2003 as well as standing orders within the next couple of weeks.

The benefits of having this stuff online AND searchable AND cross-referenced -- priceless.

Friends Of Mzalendo

Would you like to show your support for Mzalendo? Erik (better know as HASH, of White African, very kindly knocked together some very lovely buttons you can use to link to Mzalendo.

We were unable to decide which ones to choose so we've put them all up and you can choose the one(s) you like the most.

Just copy and paste the HTML code in your sidebar, or on your home page and you're good to go

<a href="http://www.mzalendo.com" title="Are you a Friend Of Mzalendo?"><img src="http://mzalendo.com/Images/MzalendoButton1.jpg"></a>

<a href="http://www.mzalendo.com" title="Are you a Friend Of Mzalendo?"><img src="http://mzalendo.com/Images/MzalendoButton2.jpg"></a>

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<a href="http://www.mzalendo.com" title="Are you a Friend Of Mzalendo?"><img src="http://mzalendo.com/Images/MzalendoButton6.jpg"></a>

These ones are a bit smaller

<a href="http://www.mzalendo.com" title="Are you a Friend Of Mzalendo?"><img src="http://mzalendo.com/Images/MzalendoButton1-smaller.jpg"></a>

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Now, that Parliament is on a two month recess and while we are still busy working on filling in the data gaps we thought it would be a great idea to highlight some of the interesting mail/messages that we get via the website. I One thing that we are learning is that the average Kenyan really does not know how (or is unable) to get in touch with their member of parliament.

Read on!
*Initials have been used to protect that innocent

1. From OJ: “How can i become a member of this party.”

2. From EA: “Thank you for the information on Hon. Raila Odinga , Can I get one from Hon Tuju please even His e-mail contacts if the phone is not available . Please assist.”

3. From Anon: “i am so impressed by your site though you need to put correct information on your data base . for example madoka\’s term did not begin in 1977 but rather in 1992. on Kanu officials putting jnr officials like nick salat and ommiting snr v.c like katana ngala, henry kosgey as well as important leaders like dalmas otieno,mutula kilonzo seems a like a little mischief aimed at potraying the party negatively . please make said corrections unless your plan is misrepresent and potray some parties negatively otherwise i enjoy the site.”

4. From P: “Am a conserned member of your constituency i feel letdown coz u elected in hopes that u will make our place better but am afraid roads electricty expecially the old Kangaita region so i would wish to ask u to atleast do something for the remaining days.”

5. From LL, letter to the newspaper cc’d to Mzalendo:

“Dear Sir/Madam,

I am a Kenyan currently based in the US but very interested in what is happening in the country since it directly affects my family in Kenya and as a result affects me too. In the past years I have realized that our people get misled during election time due to lack of information. Most of the people also do not have the time to get the information they need to make informed decisions or don’t even know where to get it.

This is where my proposal comes in. With about 17 months left to the elections, it would be very informative if your paper could run a page a day highlighting each constituency based on the following questions:

Constituency

1. How many educational institutions since independence – primary secondary, college? How many since the MP came into power?
2. How many clinics/dispensaries since independence? How many since the MP came into power
3. What is the road network like?
4. What is the water situation like – is it accessible to even the remotest areas without having to walk long distances?
5. What is the security like? Do people feel safer?
6. If there are slums, what services are provided to cater to the people there? Are these services mainly provided by NGOs?
7. What is the economic situation like – more businesses coming up, construction, shopping places, markets etc

Personal

1. Does the MP live in the constituency he represents if it is a constituency in Nairobi? If not why not?
2. How often does he meet with constituents to discuss issues? How easily accessible to his constituents is he?
3. How did he decide how the CDF was going to be used? Did he involve the people?
4. How much does he make compared to his constituents?
5. How often does he attend parliament? Does he make contributions and are they in regard to his constituency?
6. What promises did he make when he last ran? How many have been fulfilled? How many are in process?
7. How long has he been an MP and what quantifiable results can be shown for his time?

This information would assist voters in making better decisions. It would also hopefully allow the area MP to respond and defend themselves if need be. I strongly believe it is time to educate the masses. I also believe you will be the first newspaper to do this and as a result you would increase readership. Granted some people would accuse you of being biased but many more would appreciate a chance to know. Besides, what is the job of the media if not to educate and inform? This may require a lot of work on your reporters and researchers but I know it can be done.

Sincerely,

Parliament went on a two month recess last week. This despite the backlog of pending Bills that need to be passed. That means we are in for two months of useless politiking around the next elections rather than focusing on the challenges facing the country. The major newspapers don’t seem to want to be left far behind in the election fever with today’s Standard devoting no less than six headlines to speculation around snap polls and 2007 elections.

Wouldn’t it be great to see the same number of articles highlighting how ineffective Parliament has been? Owino Opondo’s recent article on the recess and the shoddy nature of committee work is a great example of what we should be seeing.

The recess is ostensibly supposed to facilitate important committee work, but if the recent non-appearance of 11 out 13 members of the Public Investment Committee is any indication (and they get paid Kshs 5,000 for each appearance!) we can expect more of the same from our MPs.

An aside: You mean these guys were getting paid even if they didn’t show up???

In other Parliament news (source Daily Nation):
- The Government blocked attempts to introduce the Freedom of Information Bill in Parliament before went on recess. Its enactment would result in the repeal of the Official Secrets Act and also provide for the whistle blower protection.

- The Government voted against another motion to replace members of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights whose term.

Quote of the day: “Sometimes there was no quorum even as we passed important Bills here…This annoys the public that pays us fairly good salaries.” ~ Moody Awori

* Please note: The answers to the questions raised typically appear in the Hansard. We hope to have the all the questions and answers from the most recent Parliament session available on Mzalendo by the end of August.

ORDINARY QUESTIONS

1) The Member for Mvita ( Mr. Najib Balala) to ask the Minister of State, Office of the President: -
a) Is the Minister aware that Mr. Ahmed Mohammed Suroor, a charcoal dealer at Bibi wa Saafi, Mombasa, was arrested by security officers on Saturday, 31st May 2003 and severely tortured before being dumped on Mombasa Road in Nairobi on Monday, 2nd June, 2003 and that the matter was reported to the Provincial Criminal Investigations Officer, Mombasa?
b) Could he confirm whether the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) officials abducted Mr. Suroor, which was a violation of his rights?
c) What progress has been made after the Criminals Investigations Department (CID) opened an inquiry file No. 5/2003?

2) The Member for Muhoroni (Mr. Ayiecho Olweny) to ask the Minister of State, Office of the President: -
a) Could the Minister table a list by nationality of those who died and those injured during the bomb blast at the Embassy of the United States of America in Nairobi in 1998?
b) Could he give a breakdown of how compensation for the deaths and injuries was done?

3) The Member for Bura (Mr. Ali Wario) to ask the Minister for of State, Office of the President: -
a) How much money did the government spend on relief food in Tana River District during the 2005/2006 financial year?
b) What is the strategy of the government to ensure that the recurrent famine is put to an end?

4) The Nominated Member (Prof. Ruth Oniang’o) to ask the Minister for Education: -
a) Is the Minister aware that strengthening of mathematics in secondary schools (SMASSE) project training services have failed to meet the objectives and do not provide anything new to the teachers?
b) Is he further aware that teachers participating in this project have neither received any any certificate nor their allowances?
c) If the answers to (a) and (b) are in the affirmative, what urgent measures has he taken to save the project which is intended to improve teaching of mathematics and sciences in secondary schools?

5. The Member for Gachoka (Mr. Joseph Nyagah) to ask the Minister for Water and Irrigation: -
a) How many IFAD funded projects are being undertaken in Gachoka constituency?
b) How many have been completed?

6. The Member for Ndhiwa (Mr. Joshua Ojode) to ask the Minister for Roads and Public Works: -
What action is the Minister taking to re-carpet Rodi/Kopany-Karungu Road (C18)?

7. The Member for Bumula (Mr. Wakoli Bifwoli) to ask the Minister for Health: -
a) How many health centres/dispensaries have been funded by the Ministry in Western Province from 2004 to date?
b) Could the Minister table the names of those health centres/dispensaries indicating the amount given to each?
c) What criteria was applied in the allocation of funds to these health facilities?

8. The Member for Masinga (Mr. Itwiku Mbai) to ask the Minister for Lands: -
a) Is the Minister aware that Lands and Tribunal Boards formed three years ago in Masinga and Ndithini divisions have never held any sitting?
b) What measures is he taking to ensure that these boards start working?

9. The Member for Juja (Mr. William Kabogo) to ask the Minister for Local Government: -
a) Is the Minister aware that Joy Town Primary Schools in Thika which caters for handicapped children, has an outstanding water bill of Kshs. 1.9 Million owed to Thika Municipal Council leading to frequent water disconnection?
b) Could he consider waiving the bill as the school relies on donations and grants and it has been unable to even meet the cost of running the institution?

We’ve put up a wish list for Mzalendo readers who’d like to help us out, however, some potential volunteers who are not based in Kenya have noted that the wish list is not very friendly to people who are not based in Kenya.

So, here’s something that diaspora-based Mzalendo readers with a techie bent can help us with. We’d like to develop a online support button that people can add to their websites and that should link back to Mzalendo.

Some examples of what the buttons could say: “I Support Mzalendo” “Bunge Watch” “Is Your ‘Mheshimiwa” Working For You?” etc.

Please send your entries to: mzalendo-owner-at-googlegroups.com or to kenyanpundit-at-gmail.com

QUESTIONS BY PRIVATE NOTICE

1. The Member for Naivasha North (Mrs. Jayne Kihara) to ask the Minister for Lands: -
a) Is the Minister aware that part of Delamere Farm in Naivasha has been offered for sale?
b) Could the Minister purchase the land to resettle numerous squatters in the area?

2. The Member for Mbita (Mr. Otieno Kajwang’) to ask the Minister for Finance: -
a) Is the Minister aware that following Ministerial Statement by the Minister in the House regarding the strength of liquidity and deposits of Charterhouse Bank, what is the justification for the continued placement of the Bank under Statutory Management?
b) Are there no other legal ways of dealing with the perceived malpractices, without imposing a Statutory Manager on an otherwise strong and vibrant financial institution?

ORDINARY QUESTIONS

1.The Member for Kinango (Mr. Gonzi Rai) to ask the Minister for State, Office of the President: -
a) Is the Minister aware that Bombolulu Girls Secondary School was burned down on 25th March, 1998?
b) Is he also aware that a public inquiry was conducted by a 13-member commission which sat for 30 days?
c) Why has the Government not released the findings to the public?

2. The Member for Rongo (Mr. Ochillo Ayacko) to ask the Attorney-General: -
a) How much were the assisting counsel and the Commissioners of the Goldenberg Commission of Inquiry paid?
b) Who negotiated the payments?
c) Could the Attorney General justify the payments?

3 The Member for Tigania East (Mr. Peter Munya) to ask the Minister for Labour and Human Resources Development: -
a) Is the Minister aware that Mr. William Mbarua who worked for 14 years (between 11th May, 1992 and 2nd March, 2006) as driver with Mpata Investments Ltd. Located at Gilfilan House along Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi had his services unfairly terminated and in addition has not been paid his terminal dues to date?
b) Is he further aware that the letter of termination of employment and final warning letter were written and signed the same day (2nd March, 2006) by the Director, Mr. Yusuffumi Mori?
c) What has the Minister done to ensure that Mr. Mbarua is paid his dues and that other workers in similar circumstances are not harassed and mistreated by employers?

4. The Member for Butula (Prof. Christine Mango) to ask the Minister for Education: -
a) Is the Minister aware that out of 33,000 primary school children in Butula Constituency, 11,000 are orphans?
b)What plans does he have to institute school feeding programme to enable these children perform optimally?

5. The Member for Ugenya (Archbishop Stephen Ondiek) to ask the Minister for Education: -
a) Could the Minister inform the House the official position on the formation of Boards of Governors and why the process takes too long?
b) Is the aware that Sega Girls’ and Moi Uloma Secondary Schools have had no Boards of Governors for over a year making it very difficult for the heads of the respective schools to run them?

6. The Member for Molo (Mr. Macharia Mukiri) to ask the Minister for Health: -
What plans does the Minister have to provide dialysis machines in all provincial and district hospitals in the country?

7. The Member for Butere (Mr. Wycliffe Oparanya) to ask the Minister for Transport: -
a) Is the Minister aware that the passenger train is not operating between Kisumu and Butere?
b) What is he doing to ensure that the service is resumed?