• Only 70 MPs will be allowed in the National Assembly Chambers during the special sitting scheduled for next Wednesday, Speaker Justin Muturi has said.
• Of the seats, eight have been reserved for Majority Leader Aden Duale, his Minority counterpart John Mbadi, deputy speaker Moses Cheboi, and majority whip Ben Washiali, Minority’s Junet Mohammed.
Image: FILE
Only 70 MPs will be allowed in the National Assembly chambers during the special sitting scheduled for next Wednesday, Speaker Justin Muturi has said.
Of the seats, eight have been reserved for Majority Leader Aden Duale, his Minority counterpart John Mbadi, deputy speaker Moses Cheboi, and majority whip Ben Washiali, Minority’s Junet Mohamed.
Also to get the seats are Igembe North MP Maoka Maore by virtue of tabling the report on nominees to various constituency CDF boards.
Tinderet’s Julius Melly will also get a seat as he is expected to table a report on the vetting of nominees to the Teachers Service Commission.
Uasin Gishu Woman Representative Gladys Shollei is also likely to be in the House for purposes of handling the Covid-19 Emergency Response Fund regulations.
The rest of the members, in the speaker’s rules for the special sitting, will be considered on ‘first-register, first occupy’ basis.
“The clerk shall notify members through bulk SMS or other means asking them to register their desire to attend the particular sitting,” Muturi said.
However, members have an option of waiting for their turn to speak on the business of the day as long as they can keep a two-metre distance at the waiting lounge.
Muturi stated that there are three designated waiting areas to accommodate other members desirous of participating in the proceedings.
But before being allowed into the chamber, such a member will wait for a seat that has been vacated to be disinfected or rather sanitized.
“Upon vacation of a seat by a member, prompt disinfection of the seating area, seat, table, electronic system, microphones and chamber tablet shall be undertaken before the seat is occupied by another member,” the rules read.
And while in the chamber, MPs will be barred from changing seats, drawing closer to other members, speaker or clerk’s table.
“There shall be no consultations at the speaker’s chair or clerk’s table – unless extremely necessary,” the rules read.“It shall be out of order for any member to approach the speaker’s chair or clerk’s table for any purpose.
Biometric listing of members’ attendance to the plenary sessions has also been suspended, the same to be recorded manually by the sergeant-at-arms.
The records shall include their seating position in the chamber with members encouraged to access documents on the e-portal to reduce paperwork.
No members of the public will be allowed into the speaker’s gallery, public gallery, and diplomatic boxes.
Only technical staff facilitating the sitting will be allowed access with members under strict instructions to observe social distancing requirements at all time
Committees will be restricted to nine persons at a time except for meetings in County Hall which can take a maximum of 34 persons.
There will be no catering services within the precincts of Parliament.
Only water will be provided during the sittings.
Members above 58 years, those with pre-existing medical conditions, and those lactating have been encouraged to work from home.
Those seeking information and clarification from the House leadership have been asked to do so on the phone.