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{
    "id": 753219,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/753219/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 59,
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    "content": "Hon. Members, before I give my guidance on this matter, let me take the House through the brief history of the place of the Order “Statements” and Statements Hour in Section 17(3) of the old Constitution, which provided that: “The Cabinet shall be collectively responsible to the National Assembly for all things done by or under the authority of the President or the Vice-President or any other Minister in the execution of his office”. It is, therefore, clear that in addition to being Members of the National Assembly, Ministers were, in the previous dispensation, responsible to the House. In this regard, the successive Parliaments under the previous constitutional order devised ways of holding the Cabinet Ministers to account on the Floor of the House. This gave rise to the famous Question Time. The practice of requesting for Statements started in the Eighth Parliament. At that time hon. Members would rise on a point of order to request for Statements. However, this was limited to matters of urgent national importance that would not wait, or await a response through normal Questions. The practice continued during the Ninth Parliament and was codified in the Standing Orders adopted by the 10th Parliament in January, 2008 as a separate Order named “Statements”. During Statements time, the Ministers would respond to Statements requested by Members in the plenary. In addition, every Wednesday, at 3.30 p.m., the Prime Minister would also either respond to Questions or give Statements to the House. Indeed, this was a popular time in the House. However, this remained outside the matters considered as business of the House. Hon. Members, that is now history. Allow me now to focus on the present circumstance. Article 136 of the Constitution provides for direct election of the President by the people of Kenya and he is both the Head of State and Head of Government. Cabinet Secretaries on the other hand, are appointed by the President with the approval of the National Assembly. Article 153(2) and (3) provide that Cabinet Secretaries are accountable individually and collectively to the President for the exercise of their powers and the performance of their functions. It is therefore clear that the Executive branch, which the President heads, is distinct from the legislative and judicial branches of Government, which are all independent of one another. This separation of power serves to check and balance certain actions of either branch of Government. This is far different from the parliamentary system, where there is a clear fusion of powers between the executive and the legislative branches. Hon. Members, in our case, therefore, the tools for holding the Government to account will significantly change to be in tandem with the new dispensation. Article 153(3) of the Constitution of Kenya provides that:"
}