mzalendo :: Eye On Kenyan Parliament

What’s New

Another round of improvements and updates to make it easier for Mzalendo.com to use

We now have a continuous ticker of the number of aspirants in the database

There is now a new section to track MP and Aspirant Comment statistics

We’ve also added a new section on the home page sidebar to allow you to view additional aspirant and MP information, such as campaign websites, constituency websites, campaign websites and blogs for all MPs and aspirants from a central location.

We’ve added Aspirant Comment Statistics so you can track comments from the public on new aspirants. This is a very neat feature — now you can have an idea about the aspirants before you vote.

We’ve also fixed a bug on MP Comment Statistics where it would include flagged comments in the count. This has bee corrected.

To more easily keep track of new comments, we’ve indicated the date of each comment on the sidebar summary

You can also now view the number of comments directly from the MP and Aspirant profiles

What’s Changed

The purpose of the MP and Aspirant comments is to solicit constructive information and insight from the public, and allow questions to be put to MPs and aspirants. Some Mzalendo users habitually abuse this facility to settle scores, real or imagined, with the aspirants, MPs and other Mzalendo users. We now shall not hesitate to ban abusers from the site indefinitely. You will be banned of you do any of the following:

1. Use foul language of any kind. This site is used by people of all ages across the world, and therefore reflects on us as Kenyans. Be mindful of others.
2. Abuse MPs or aspirants. No matter what your differences may be, put them across civilly.
3. Abuse of other Mzalendo users.
4. Peddling of rumours and innuendo. If you don’t have any evidence, be quiet. And no, “everyone knows” does not constitute evidence.

BBC Outlook profiled Mzalendo on its radio show today. Click here to listen, the story is at the very end.

By Francis Mureithi (for Mzalendo)

It was a celebratory week for Members of Parliament after they voted to have each of them take home KShs 1.5 million at the end of the life of the current Parliament. Legislators, on Thursday September 6, 2007 sealed the deal in a flash as the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendment) Bill went through the third reading. According to the amendment on the National Assembly Remuneration Act, each MP will now be entitled to KShs 300,000 as allowanced for every year served. This would be backdated to January 9, 2003 when members Ninth Parliament were sworn into the House.

How did the members vote? The House had over 60 MPs and no one opposed when the question was put before the House. Again, they did not debate on this particular amendment but just accepted it once the question was put. On voting, it was purely acclamation “Ayes” so it was difficult to pinpoint how a particular MP voted.

Initially, the amount was KShs 6.5 million. This was however scaled down following intense opposition by civil society groups. A resounding chorus of “Ayes” from both Opposition and Government rent the air when the question on the gratuity was put.

Additionally, Parliament passed an amendment that will see the number of judges at the High Court and Court of Appeal increased from 50 to 70 and 11 to 14 respectively. But Parliament adjourned before members could deliberate on proposed amendments in the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act and other essential matters. Temporary Speaker Kiruki M’Mukindia said the committee will proceed with its sitting next Tuesday to deliberate on pending issues. The National Assembly and Presidential Elections Act was also amended to allow petitions to be served through publication. The publication can be carried in a daily newspaper and drafted in English and Kiswahili.

Siakago MP Justin Muturi successfully moved an amendment on the same Act to gag arbitrary appointment of MPs from the opposition to the Cabinet. Those appointed, according to Muturi’s amendment, shall now be allowed to join the Cabinet with the mandate of the sponsoring party.
During the week also, Justice and constitutional affairs minister Martha Karua defended her ministry over claims by MPs that it was dillydallying to publish a Bill on minimum constitutional reforms. The minister told Parliament that the report by the Inter-Parties Parliamentary Group which recommended the publication of the Constitutional Amendment Bill is not officially with her ministry. MPs sought to know what progress the government has made towards publishing the Bill as resolved by the Inter-Parties Parliamentary Group on June 19 this year.

But the lack of quorum syndrome persisted. On Tuesday September 4, 2007, Parliament adjourned at 5.40 pm instead of the usual 6.30 pm due to lack of quorum. Present in the chamber were 20 MPs – 12 on the Government side and eight for opposition.

By Francis Mureithi

During the week, election fever continued to paralyze Parliament sessions with questions being dropped for lack of MPs to float them and ministers to respond. For instance on Wednesday August 29, 2007, during the morning session, no question listed in the Order Paper was tackled as either the questioners were absent or ministers.
Deputy House Speaker David Musila said he lacked words to express his disappointment over the members’ performance while Vice President Moody Awori, who is also the leader of government business, said also lacked words to express his displeasure.

This is barely two weeks after members shot down an adjournment motion moved by Vice President Moody Awori arguing that there was too much before the House and it could not afford to go on recess.

MPs, however, passed a motion that allows for introduction of a Bill aimed at compelling the State to establish a special fund to cater for the orphans in the country. The motion passed paves the way for the introduction of the Orphaned and Vulnerable Children’s Fund Bill to provide for education and psychosocial support, shelter, food and clothing for the affected children.
This will ensure their potential of becoming resourceful and responsible citizens is tapped. The motion was moved by Christine Mango (Narc, Butula) and was supported by both government and opposition MPs.

It is also the week that saw the return of the controversial Media Bill after President Kibaki refused to assent it into law returning it to the House for deletion of an offensive clause. The MPs supported the view that the clause was indeed offensive but they complained, for 45 minutes, about how the media has transgressed against them. The controversial clause stated: “When a story includes unnamed parties who are not disclosed and the same becomes the subject of a legal tussle as to who is meant, then the editor shall be obligated to disclose the identity of the parties referred to.”

In the same week, Parliament, with only 19 members, allowed the ministry of Foreign Affairs to spend Shs 7.9 billion for the 2007/8 financial year. The House rules demand the presence of at least 30 of the 222 members, excluding the one presiding, to constitute a quorum and transact House business.

During the week, MPs emerged disappointed after the debate on the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendment) Bill, 2007 was postponed due to a hitch. It is this Bill that MPs are seeking to award themselves KShs 1.5 million severance allowance at the end of the life of the current Parliament.
Unlike while dealing with other matters in the course of the week where lack of quorum dominated, a record of 81 MPs had trooped to marshal support to pass the amendment on their allowances but they trooped out as soon as they realized the debate had been put off. The debate was put off when the Committee on the Administration of Justice and Legal Affairs complained that some crucial amendments they had previously tabled in the House were missing in the Order Paper. After the shelving of the debate, MPs trooped out and the House later rose one hour before time due to quorum hitch with only nine members present.

It is this Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendment) Bill that will be on the spotlight this week in Parliament. If MPs pass the amendment inserted by Attorney General Amos Wako, each of the 222 legislators will be taking home KShs 1.5 million as severance allowance at the end of the life of the current Parliament. It will translate to KShs 333 million which the taxpayer would be required to cough.