• Ichung’wah said the House was going to "do whatever it takes" to make sure that the Constitutional mandate of the National Assembly is protected.
• He revealed that he had spoken to the CS who said she was going to inaugurate the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) Board.
Image: FILE
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah has fired a warning to Cabinet Secretaries snubbing National Assembly plenary sessions.
He said it was imperative that they understand that their appearance before the Parliament is not a favour to the MPs.
"They appear before these elected representatives of the people to be accountable to the people of Kenya," he said.
This came even as he chided Labour and Social Protection CS Florence Bore for snubbing the session.
Bore was scheduled to appear before the House floor on Wednesday but she didn't.
She instead sent a letter to Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and copied Ichung’wah, saying she had attended an official engagement out of Nairobi County.
Wetang’ula described the letter as "casual."
Ichung'wah regretted that Bore did not write the letter on Friday, which would have helped the House Business Committee in scheduling this week's businesses.
"I'm sure she must be following being a former member of this House, she must know that on Thursdays there is a statement from the House Business Committee that schedules business for the following week. She didn’t write this letter on Friday, she wrote this letter today," he said.
"That is why I’ve said it is not just discourteous, it is contempt to the House. And we must make it clear as a House that we shall not allow any CS, however mighty you may perceive yourself, to hold the people’s representatives with contempt and the institution of Parliament."
Bore who is the former Kericho WomanRep has now become the first Cabinet Secretary to snub the House since the re-introduction of the Minister’s question time.
He said the House was going to "do whatever it takes" to make sure that the Constitutional mandate of the National Assembly is protected.
The letter is referenced to a letter from the Clerk dated June 27, 2023.
It reads, "Inviting me to respond to the above questions, I wish to notify you that I will not be able to appear for the plenary session as scheduled because of an official engagement outside Nairobi County."
"The purpose of this letter, therefore, is to request for a rescheduling of the session to next Wednesday, July 12, 2023, at a time that is convenient to the members and forward written responses to be presented during the plenary session."
Ichung’wah helps in coordinating the scheduling of CSs appearances before the National Assembly to answer questions regarding various issues affecting the country.
He informed the House that today's questioning was scheduled for three weeks ago but had to be rescheduled twice, which was communicated to the CSs and their ministries.
The rescheduling was prompted by the urgent need to deal with other House businesses including the issues related with the now Finance Act 2023.
The Kikuyu MP said until Tuesday, they expected Bore to show up for the questioning alongside the others in the schedule including Water, Sanitation and Irrigation CS Alice Wahome and Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development CS Zacharia Njeru.
"I have also been copied to the letter Honourable Speaker that is in your hands and I have to agree with you that indeed this letter is not only discourteous but is full of contempt for the House," he said.
He apologised to the legislatures, especially those who sat in early and had prepared questions for Bore including Brighton Yegon (Konoin), Basil Ngui (Yatta), Machua Waithaka (Kiambu), Jane Maina (Kirinyaga) and Joyce Kamene (Machakos).