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{
    "id": 944489,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/944489/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 15,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Speaker",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Hon. Members, this Communication relates to the issue of the accountability of the Executive to Parliament and the place of the Chief Administrative Secretaries in responding to Questions in the National Assembly. You will recall that on Tuesday, 8th October, 2019, during the Statement Hour, Hon. Didmus Barasa, the Member for Kimilili, rose in his place on a point of order seeking the direction of the Chair on the admissibility of answers to Parliamentary Questions from the Executive given by the Chief Administrative Secretary. For clarity, the Member for Kimilili stated as follows in part: “…today morning, I appeared before the Departmental Committee on Health to get a reply to a Question I had asked. I refused the reply because it was coming from a Chief Administrative Secretary, a person who is not in the Constitution!” According to the Member for Kimilili, a Chief Administrative Secretary, popularly known as CAS, is unknown to both the Constitution and the Standing Orders of this House. By this argument, the Member for Kimilili was advancing that accountability of the Executive to Parliament, particularly with respect to answering any questions relating to matters under the jurisdiction of any of the line ministries, could only be enforced if appearances before the committees of the House is restricted to the responsible Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries. The issue raised by the Member attracted immense interest from other Members who sought to canvass on the matter. I was inclined to permit a few of you to ventilate on the matter. This included the Leader of the Majority Party, the Leader of the Minority Party, the Minority Whip, Hon. William Cheptumo, Hon. David Ochieng, Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah, Hon. (Prof.) Jacqueline Oduol, Hon. Amos Kimunya, Hon. Katoo ole Metito, Hon. David ole Sankok, Hon. Martin Owino and Hon. David Pkosing. Having considered the various views of the Members who spoke on the matter, I undertook to give a comprehensive direction on the matter and also guide the House on the way forward. In this regard, I have isolated the following two issues as requiring my determination:"
}