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"id": 191699,
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"speaker_name": "Mr. Imanyara",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Deputy Speaker",
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"legal_name": "Gitobu Imanyara",
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"content": " Hon. Members, I have the following Communication from the Chair to make. As hon. Members may be aware, it has been the practice of the National Assembly to review its Standing Orders at the tail end of every Parliament. This Parliament, therefore, is July 1, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1497 expected to examine its Standing Orders with a view to reviewing areas that it may deem fit for the benefit of successive Parliaments. However, hon. Members are also aware that the Eighth Parliament did not review the Standing Orders as the country was expecting a comprehensive review of the Constitution which, invariably, would have had direct implications on the Standing Orders. The review of the said rules of procedure was undertaken by the Ninth Parliament, but the House was dissolved before the review could be actualised. Indeed, hon. Members would be aware that the last comprehensive review of our Standing Orders was undertaken in 1997. The foregoing notwithstanding, hon. Members in the Eighth Parliament, the Ninth Parliament and, indeed, this Tenth Parliament, have relentlessly raised legitimate concerns on shortfalls in our rules of procedures. Hon. Members will also be aware that during the Ninth Parliament, the Standing Orders Committee made significant progress in review of the rules of procedure. This culminated in compilation of a Report now famously referred to as \"Draft Seven\", by a seven-Member sub- Committee chaired by the then Deputy Speaker, Mr. David Musila. The sub-Committee considered memoranda from other Committees of the House, individual hon. Members, the civil society, organised groups and other interested parties, on areas that needed to be addressed in our Standing Orders. The Draft also incorporates applications and practices obtaining in other parliaments, particularly those in the Commonwealth. KTN AND NTV TO JOIN KBC IN LIVE TRANSMISSION OF HOUSE PROCEEDINGS Hon. Members, you will recall that following his election as the Speaker of this House, the Hon. Kenneth Marende undertook to, among other things, spearhead necessary parliamentary reforms, including review of our rules of procedure. Indeed, it is in this regard that live broadcast of the House proceedings is now in place on trial basis under an agreement with the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC). I am happy to report that both Nation Television and Kenya Television Network (KTN) have sought to also feed on the KBC broadcast, so that all the television stations in the country should be doing it in due course. Moving further forward, on 30th May, 2008, the Standing Orders Committee constituted a six-Member sub-Committee chaired by myself and comprising Messrs. Jeremiah Kioni, David Were, Mohamed Abdulkadir, Prof. Philip Kaloki and Ms. Amina Abdalla, who was co-opted in the membership of the sub-Committee. The sub-Committee, which has already embarked on its work, was expressly tasked to re-consider \"Draft Seven\" and invite submissions from other Committees of this House, individual hon. Members, officers of the House, organised groups, the civil society and other interested parties, with a view to compiling a report for consideration by the Committee. Considering the importance and the exigency of the review, the sub-Committee has proposed the following timetable:- (1) From 4th to 5th July, 2008, the Standing Orders sub-Committee will hold a workshop to consider Draft Seven. (2) On 17th July, 2008, the sub-Committee will table its Report before the main Standing Orders Committee. (3) From 18th to 19th July, 2008, the main Committee will retreat to consider the Report of the sub-Committee. (4) From 24th to 25th July, 2008, there will be a workshop to appraise all hon. Members of the House on the content of the Report. (5) The Committee will, thereafter, table its Report in the form of a Sessional Paper for consideration by this House by the end of this Session. Hon. Members, the Standing Orders, being the basic rules of procedure, are of 1498 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES July 1, 2008 vital significance to every House as they govern the way Parliament executes its legislative, representative, oversight and deliberative roles. It is, therefore, imperative that every hon. Member participates in their formulation and review. In this regard, all House Committees, individual hon. Members, as, indeed, any other interested parties, are invited to submit their written proposals to the sub-Committee, through the Office of the Clerk, by 11th July, 2008. Thank you. Next Order!"
}