• The PSC has also installed sanitary utilities – handwashing equipment and sanitisers, at various points for use by members and staff.
• House leadership has been on high alert after Rabai MP Kamoti Mwamkale tested positive for Covid19.
Parliament has stepped up preparations for the Wednesday special sittings to debate measures to save the country’s economy.
The Parliamentary Service Commission has set up screening tents at the premises for testing of members and staff.
In a message to MPs, the Houses’ leadership urged the lawmakers to voluntarily take the tests.
The Covid-19 screening centre managed by Lancet Laboratories will conduct full testing for the virus, beyond temperature screening.
“MPs and staff are free to be tested at two tents at National Assembly and Senate gates. Please take note,” a message sent to the lawmakers reads.
Members have for the past two days been visiting the tents to undertake the tests. It costs about Sh14,000 to test for Covid-19.
The PSC has also installed sanitary utilities – handwashing equipment and sanitiser, at various points for use by members and staff.
The leadership has been on high alert after Rabai MP Kamoti Mwamkale tested positive for Covid19 having been in contact with Kilifi Deputy Governor Gideon Saburi.
The lawmaker is a member of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee and Committee on Delegated Legislation hence could have interacted with more members.
About 50 MPs and staff were to be tested for the virus following their contact with their colleague either at the committees, offices, and lounges.
In the prevailing circumstances, Speaker Justin Muturi has spelled tough rules guiding the Wednesday sittings, which only 70 members will participate in at a time.
The seating plan has been mapped and members would have to be in the chamber in shifts.
One would have to wait for a seat vacated by a member to be disinfected before use, the rules read.
Members of the public and media will not be allowed to access committee sittings with MPs encouraged to go paperless.
The National Assembly will also not admit any visitors to its galleries to follow proceedings until it would be safe to host visitors.
“Committees are encouraged to use digital projectors. This extends to receiving submissions from witnesses or the public through any written memoranda,” Muturi said in the directive.
“Persons desirous of following proceedings to do so remotely through National Assembly channels on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter,” the speaker directed.
Members have also been directed to operate with a minimum number of aides with personal assistants and other staff discouraged from going to the officers.
Those attending plenary and committee sittings will be dropped at the entrance to Parliament Buildings and drivers and bodyguards are to find a suitable place to wait for the members.
Members aged above 58 years were asked to work from home, with Speaker Muturi hinting at revising the Standing Orders to allow their contribution via videolink.
The priority business would be to pass the tax laws, among them that which gives 100 per cent tax holiday for persons earning below Sh24,000.
The Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020 will be taken through all stages during the special sittings set to begin at 10am.
The bill contains part of the legislative measures to address taxation regime due to the covid-19 pandemic.
The supplementary budget II will also be debated during the special sitting. The Covid-19 Emergency Fund Regulations will also be tabled.