If you take each other to court, who wins? Kimunya asks MPs

It is time the Parliament looked for ways of avoiding litigious processes, National Assembly Majority leader Amos Kimunya has said.

Speaking during the Third Leadership Retreat of House Leadership at Ole Sereni Hotel on Tuesday, Kimunya said this will save the public funds.

"This will also ensure that our officers spend less time in court so that they can engage in more useful tasks that are beneficial to the public," he said.

Kimunya asked the leaders to go back to the drawing board and re-examine themselves.

"What these statistics tells us is the need to go back to the drawing board and introspect and ask ourselves a number of questions. First, whenever the Houses of Parliament take each other to court who wins?" he posed.

"The question that therefore arises is- how we can manoeuvre the intricacies that come with the manner in which Article 109(5) of the Constitution is couched so that in the end both Houses can execute their legislative roles effectively."

Article 109(5) of the Constitution states that; A Bill may be introduced by any member or committee of the relevant House of Parliament, but a money Bill may be introduced only in the National Assembly .

The Kipipiri MP further said he is very much aware of the challenges that come with his office.

"I am alive to the challenges that come with this office particularly in these trying times, I give you my assurance that I will do my best, and with your support we shall deliver," he said.

He noted that there was no committee more important than others, or even lesser than others.

"The difference is in the mandates. True success will be achieved when we harness the synergy from our diversity of knowledge, experience and roles, for the greater public interest," he said.

"As I have learnt in my leadership classes, none of us is greater than others, and also no lesser. No one is better, or worse than others. We may know more in our areas of expertise, but others equally know more in theirs."

Kimunya said it was noteworthy that despite the challenges occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic, the House has dispensed with a fairly good amount of business.

In particular, he said there have been 31 Bills introduced in the House during this session.

Of these, 11 have been passed, 5 are from the Senate, one was withdrawn by the Mover on 2nd June 2020 pursuant to Standing Order 140 and the rest are in various stages of the legislative process.