- The Cabinet Secretaries will resume appearing before Parliament to answer questions from MPs after a temporary suspension was lifted.
- The suspension has been in effect since the new broad-based Cabinet was constituted.
Image: File
Cabinet Secretaries will on Wednesday resume appearing before Parliament to answer questions from MPs after a temporary suspension was lifted.
The suspension has been in effect since the new broad-based Cabinet was constituted.
In a communique to the House, National Speaker Moses Wetang'ula noted that the move to suspend the sessions was to give time to the CSs to familiarise themselves with their respective dockets.
"Noting the passage of time since the Cabinet Secretaries assumed their new responsibilities, and following consultations with the Leader of the Majority Party, I now wish to inform the House that we will Page 4 of 5 resume Question Time starting tomorrow September 18," he said.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba is scheduled to appear during the afternoon sitting.
"Among the questions he is to set to respond to is on the progress in implementing the commitments made during the Member's Kamukunji held on August 20, 2024, regarding the New Higher Education Funding Model," Wetang'ula said.
"He will also address other issues of concern in the education sector including incidents of school fires and unrest across the country, and the general safety of learners."
According to the Speaker, this is mainly due to the tragic incident at the Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri, where 21 learners lost their lives.
"This incident represents a tragic loss to the nation and the House must be fully apprised of its cause and the remedial measures proposed to be taken by the ministry," he added.
Parliament amended its rules to allow CSs to take questions on the floor of Parliament following the push by President William Ruto.
According to Ruto, these sessions act as a platform for executive accountability to the people’s representatives.
“Kenyans have a right to know what their representatives are doing and what the status of various issues of importance to them,” he said.
It has in some instances, however, been marred by the absenteeism of some CSs.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah had even fired a warning to CSs snubbing these plenary sessions.
He said they needed to understand that their appearance before the Parliament is not a favour to the MPs.
"They appear before these elected representatives of the people to be accountable to the people of Kenya," he said.
He said the House was going to "do whatever it takes" to make sure that the Constitutional mandate of the National Assembly is protected.