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"content": "First, you will recall that yesterday, 9th May, 2012 during the afternoon Sitting of the House, I suspended the Minister for Education, Hon. Mutula Kilonzo, MP, for two Sitting days, pursuant to Standing Order 97 (2)(b) on account of failing to answer Question No.1370, which was listed on the Order Paper, and which act constituted a disorderly conduct on the part of the Minister pursuant to Standing Order 46, which interalia states: βIt shall be disorderly conduct for a Member to fail to ask or for a Minister to fail to answer a question listed on the Order Paper without the leave of the Speaker.β I wish to reaffirm the importance of Ministers answering Questions and responding to other issues in the House. In equal measure, Members of the Back Bench are required to attend to their duties in the House and to give adequate attention and priority to parliamentary business. It behooves all of us to observe and abide by our Rules of Procedure. Hon. Members, following my ruling suspending the attendance to the House by the Minister for two Sitting days, I have received a letter dated today, 10th May, 2012 from the Minister for Education, Hon. Mutula Kilonzo, explaining the circumstances that led to his absence and that of his Assistant Ministers. The Minister has informed the Speaker that he was unable to be present in the House yesterday afternoon during Question Time as he had concluded appearing before the Departmental Committee on Education, Science and Technology on the examination of the 2012/2013 annual Estimates shortly after 2.15 p.m. and that the Committee had requested further written submissions, which the Minister proceeded to urgently attend to. By the time he was informed that he was required in the House and had to seek information in respect of the Question it was too late for him to arrive in the Chamber. The Minister has further informed me that his two Assistant Ministers are out of the country on official duties. In the letter, the Minister has stated thus: βI take this opportunity to inform you that the absence of my Ministry was neither deliberate nor careless and to convey my apologies to the House and hon. Members.β In view of the respect that the Minister has, consistently and sustainably over the years, had for the institution of Parliament, and the seriousness and dedication he has shown in the past in marshalling legislation, particularly with respect to the implementation of the Constitution, the sanctions imposed on him yesterday are hereby lifted."
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