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"speaker_name": "Mr. Muturi",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. I had just began moving and saying that I was part of the delegation. Indeed, by way of introduction, I may wish to say that the efficient and effective running of any parliamentary business largely depends upon party whips in any House. Through the whips, business, at least, in several parliaments, including that of the United Kingdom, is generated and Members of Parliament are informed of any forthcoming business and other related matters. Government whips are, indeed, a link between the Government itself and the House, while the Opposition whips link their Members with party leaders. 1642 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES May 24, 2007 For that reason, it was noted that the Cockar Report of 2002 recognised the role played by whips and made specific recommendations on the review of the terms and conditions of service for Members of Parliament, after representations from members of the public, and made specific recommendations. The Report recommended that since the Offices of the Whips, among other parliamentary offices, are so important for the management of parliamentary business, there was need to recognise and enhance the allowances paid. For that reason, the National Assembly organised a one week study tour for the Whips to the Parliaments of the United Kingdom and Ireland between 16th and 20th October, 2006. The main objective of the tour was to study the role of the party whips in mobilizing Members of Parliament to support party stand-points on public policy debates in the House, and the resources at their disposal to ensure that they do so effectively. The two parliaments that we visited have an elaborate whipping system, coupled with strong party structures. The Members of the delegation and staff included the hon. N.M.G.K. Nyagah, EGH, MP, Government Chief Whip; the hon. J.B.N. Muturi, MP, Opposition Chief Whip; the hon. Mutinda Mutiso, MP, Deputy Government Chief Whip; the hon. Moses Cheboi, Deputy Opposition Chief Whip; the hon. S. Bifwoli, Assistant Government Whip; the hon. Gonzi Rai, MP, FORD (P) Whip, and Mr. Michael Sialai, Secretary of the delegation. This Report gives background information on the origins and growth of parliaments in the two countries visited, and it details the role played by whips and the facilities put at their disposal to enable them to discharge their various responsibilities and mandates. The Report also makes recommendations on how the Kenya National Assembly could strengthen the offices of the whips by providing the necessary facilities. The Report further recommends for the creation of a co-ordinating agency between Parliament and the Executive. Therefore, I am privileged to introduce this Report to the House for its consideration and adoption because I strongly believe that it is good for this country. It would mark another important milestone in the ongoing efforts to reform the management of the Business of this House. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the trip would not have been possible without the facilitation and sponsorship given by the European Parliamentarians for Africa (AWEPA), who kindly bore the cost of the air tickets and accommodation in the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland. To them, we express our gratitude and, of course, to the Parliamentary Service Commission. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Report is self- explanatory about the nature of the parliaments of the UK and Ireland, most of which is well known to most hon. Members present. It is important to state that in Parliament--- When parliament started, it was merely kings who owned all the land and, therefore, they had all the power. They would, therefore, summon selected people to talk; what they called \"to parley\", to help them govern. During the early medieval times, the Kings Advisory Council, which was called the \"Curia Regis\", consisted of bishops, nobles and ministers who became the forerunners of the modern day House of Lords cum \"law lords\". Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I do not need to take hon. Members through the history about the development of both the House of Lords and House of Commons. But since this was a trip by whips, it is important to state a few things about whipping. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I will talk about the origin, status and position of the whips. Earliest information available at the House of Commons in the UK indicates that the word and process of the whip was in use as early as 1621. The word \"whip\" is derived from the English hunting expression \"whippers-in\", which was a title for persons responsible for preventing the hunting hounds from straying from the pack. The usage of the word \"whip\" is still similar, in that party whips give their members information on forthcoming business, with each item of business being underlined according to its importance. But that is the practise in the House of Commons and in the Parliament of Ireland. May 24, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1643 Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is important to state that in the UK and, indeed, even in Ireland, the whips are appointed, in the UK by the Prime Minister in consultation with the party leaders and the leader of the House. It is a complicated system which is not similar to ours. In fact, in the House of Commons, the Government Chief Whip is a ceremonial parliamentary authority. He is also a ceremonial parliamentary secretary to the Treasury. He is assisted by a deputy chief whip, a pairing whip, the five lord commissioners and seven assistant whips who cover areas to do with standing committees on legislation, regions and other specialized areas. In the House of Lords, the Government Chief Whip holds the office of the captain, the Gentleman-at-Arms and is assisted by a deputy chief and five assistant whips who are lords and Baronesses-in-waiting to Her Majesty, the Queen's Government. The Official Opposition Party has a chief whip and 12 assistant whips. The same applies to the national Parliament of Ireland, where there exists the whips in both Houses. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, as I said earlier, the Report is self explanatory. But I may state that after our study, the delegation observed that there was need to examine institutional structure of the Cabinet with a view to giving the office of the Government Chief Whip and other whips status that would lead to effective co-ordination of parliamentary work in order to deliver Government policies and programmes, and for the opposition parties in order to keep their members abreast of forthcoming Government businesses and businesses being generated from those parties. In those countries, the hon. Members who are whips are extremely influential. They mainly use negotiation and persuasion in encouraging their colleagues to vote along certain party lines in the House. They must establish a proper relationship with the backbenchers in order to contain divergence of views in the House and also gauge views of hon. Members regarding any forthcoming or pending business before the House. In the UK and Ireland, the whips must be in Parliament every day and must ask for specific permission to be away from duties from the chiefs of their parties. Those are party leaders. Hon. Members who absent themselves from sittings of the House without prior permission or who fail to vote along the party lines are severely reprimanded, suspended or even de-whipped from the party. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I believe this is an important lesson for us to learn so that as we strengthen our political parties, we know that people could be de-whipped. But, of course, you know that, with our nomadic system where people really do not have to belong to any particular political party to vote, this still remains very theoretical in Kenya. But it is important for us to note that, that is the position there. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, regarding issues to do with business in the House, unlike in the Kenyan Parliament, where the Business of the House is considered by the House Business Committee, in the parliaments of UK and Ireland, there are no committees that deal with matters touching on the business of the House. In both countries, the Government controls the business of the House, which is generated through the usual channels; that is, consultation among the whips and as a result, business for the house is generated. There is nothing like a House Business Committee in both countries. This, of course, came as a result of some report that was made by their Modernisation Committee. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, when it comes to the issue of hon. Members' appointments to committees, whips again play an important role in appointing hon. Members in several committees in both the UK and in Ireland. The recommendations to have hon. Members sit in various committees of the House are generally accepted by party caucuses."
}