Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 350081,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/350081/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 828,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "today, carries out the dual roles of both the National Assembly and the Senate and is expected to spearhead the transition from the unicameral to the bicameral parliament in a number of ways. The National Assembly shall thus be leading the review of the Standing Orders of the National Assembly and the adoption of the Senate’s new Standing Orders. That is why the National Assembly is called upon today to perform this task. This review of Standing Orders, therefore, come at a time when the two Houses of Parliament are being reborn in a uniquely Kenyan bicameral system of legislature which is quite different from the one abandoned four decades ago. The Orders provide for inter- house relations, inter-house separations and the relations between either of the houses, county governments and with other arms of government and also with constitutional commissions and independent institutions. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I will not go into the details of all the proposals, but I will just want to highlight the various items that we have put emphasis on in the proposed Standing Orders. The Standing Orders are looking more critically in conformity with the Constitution on the legislative process, public access and participation in law making, financial controls, budget process and so on. I wish to highlight a few of these things, especially for the draft National Assembly and the Senate Standing Orders. One is the order of precedence in the administration of oath. The second one is the election of Speakers. There is the notification of opening of Parliament, and presiding in the National Assembly/Senate. We have created the position, again in conformity to the Constitution, the Leader of the Majority Party and the Leader of the Minority Party. The proposed procedures also factor in visiting dignitaries and the calendar of the House. Of special mention, the calendar of the House will be controlled by the House Business Committee with approval of the House itself. Once this is approved, it shall be published in the Kenya Gazette and the parliamentary website. There will also be requests for special sittings of either House, special Motions, for example, extension of the state of emergency, extension of the time of Parliament when Kenya is at war and declaration of war. There are also the normal adjustments. There should be a quorum at the commencement of the House. I want to highlight the quorum at the commencement of the House. With regard to the National Assembly, quorum at the commencement of the House shall be 50 Members, while at the Senate the quorum shall be 15. The sitting in the Chamber is available to all except for the Deputy Speaker, the Leader of the Majority Party, the Leader of the Minority Party, and Members with disability. A new introduction is the messages between the National Assembly and the Senate and messages from the President. That has been accommodated for purposes of harmony between the two Houses. The other procedure that we have put in place and which is not in the existing Standing Orders is the procedure for removal from State Office, especially the procedure for the removal of the President from office by impeachment, removal of President on grounds of incapacity and procedure for removal of a cabinet secretary. We have also enacted an elaborate procedure for introducing Bills to the House. As I conclude, I wish to mention the relationship between the Senate and the National Assembly. That is what hon. Members may be interested in. There is"
}