MPs risk losing their private Bills if they fail to physically attend Wednesday’s morning sittings when their legislative proposals are scheduled for second reading.
Deputy Majority leader Owen Baya raised concern that members were not taking seriously the Wednesday morning session which is designated specifically for private Members’ Bills as well as Motions.
“Members who have business slated for the transaction must come to the House, especially on Wednesday mornings, which we know are for private Members’ matters,’ said Baya, who is also the MP for Kilifi North.
He said MPs should be in the House to avoid situations where the leadership must step in to do things for them.
He regretted that members who have sponsored various Bills have made life difficult for House leadership when they put them in awkward situations to move around and lobby MPs to support the legislative proposals.
“I would like to request every Member who has Motion, Bill or something else that is coming to the House to ensure that they come and mobilise members for support,” he emphasized.
“Today (Wednesday), I had to go to the tea area and all other areas to look for Members to raise quorum to save Members’ Bills,” Baya lamented.
He reiterated that it is not the responsibility of the House leadership to mobilise support for a member moving a Bill or Motion.
“Mobilise members to come and support your Bills. Three Bills have been read here for the First Time. All the Members who sponsored them are not here,” the Deputy Majority leader lamented.
Baya singled out two MPs for being absent from the House when they knew their Bills would be coming up for First Readings.
“The Office of the Clerk is very good at its work. It sends short messages to everybody to tell them about matters that are coming up for consideration by the House. We, as Honourable Members, need to live to the tag and be in the House so that we can conduct business and have robust debates,” he held.
He discouraged absenteeism and observed that Motions that are important to the nation should be given due response by other Members.
