WARIGI: Help me! Parliamentary committees are now messy and disgusting

The Speaker of the National Assembly, Justin Muturi, made a landmark decision on Thursday. Henceforth, parliamentary committees will be required to suspend any investigation "if an investigative agency conducts a parallel investigation and the prosecution authorities have preferred to lay charges against persons of interest to a panel on matters similar to those which are submitted to him ". [19659004CashwritersandcancerswillalsoberequiredtoappearwhenkeyorotherseniorofficialsoftheMinistryrespondtothequestions

The decision has the effect of radically restructuring the relationship between the executive and the many committees of Parliament. In recent times, they have become a nuisance to CSs and others. officials, and they hinder the national crackdown on corruption.

These committees have taken the habit of holding too many hearings and summoning anyone under the pretext of parliamentary committee inquiry.

This approach interferes with the normal day-to-day work of departments when CSs are recklessly summoned. It also tends to micromanage the work of CSs.

Last week, CS James Macharia was stunned to receive five separate summonses from five different parliamentary commissions – drawn from the National Assembly and the Senate – who want to question him about allegations that leaders Chinese RGM discriminated against African employees.

Five commissions seeking to question you on the same subject, that is too much. Members are required to ask similar questions and get the same answers, says Macharia.

This is a clbadic duplication and this equates to a waste of time for the CS. Macharia is even lucky; his colleague of the Interior, Fred Matiang & # 39; i, is quickly driven crazy by the frequency with which he is summoned by these committees.

There is an even bigger problem. MPs march on the feet of the DPP and DCI through their many dubious parliamentary "investigations".

When you summon people who are already the subject of an active investigation by the DCI, or who are prosecuted by the DPP, this is an open interference with their work.

For example, there are currently parliamentary committees that claim to "investigate" and take responsibility for contaminated sugar.

Another series of committees is examining the recent calamity of the Solai Dam. However, both cases are handled by the DPP and the DCI.

The same individuals convened by Parliament are those on whom the DPP and the DCI have opened cases. The success of the global war on corruption is in the hands of these two law enforcement officers, and Parliament should not become an obstacle.

The system of parliamentary committees operates at two levels: the permanent committees and the departmental commissions.

The former, such as the Public Accounts Committee and the Public Investment Committee, do their job properly and do not pose major problems.

The problem is with departmental committees. They have become too numerous, even when they fall on themselves to hold sessions on everything that happens under the sun.

They invoke CSs, PSs and even private individuals on the left, right and center of alleged "investigations" in all sorts of cases.

Parliament has its mandate of constitutional oversight – yes. But this must be exercised responsibly and according to defined parameters.

One of the animals created by the 2010 Constitution is the Senate. He has come up with his own range of committees, which are in mortal competition with the National Assembly.

Everything becomes excessive and messy. Things have reached a point where the National Assembly and the Senate have fiercely objected to which House will consider the matter.

Previously, Muturi had the opportunity to warn the Senate committees that they had no mandate beyond control. County Governments

Why this multiplicity of committee meetings? The answer is simple: Cash. MPs earn more money each month from committee allowances than from their net salaries.

Hence the obsession with membership in a committee. The more committees we sit, the more it is lucrative. The committees have also become places of rent research.

Allegations of bribes and bribes were extorted from witnesses who were mentioned in a negative manner. Even CSs are subject to a twist for a variety of favors.

The Thursday President's ruling ordered members of the committee to report to persons appearing as witnesses.

The same day that Muturi made his decision, Matiang & # 39; i and government chemist Ali Gakweli did not appear before a parliament. committee that dragged his probe of smuggling sugar disorder for weeks.

The committee wanted to question them on a report from Chemist of Government who found traces of mercury in samples of confiscated sugar.

Another committee "investigating" this year's sensational rape allegations at a school in Nairobi is just as furious when DCI George Kinoti skipped his summons.