A new parliament watchdog report has revealed Kenya’s most
dormant and active MPs and senators in the current august House.
The 2024 Parliamentary Scorecard released by Mzalendo Trust, reveals 20 MPs who did not utter a word on the floor of the House and three senators who least participated in the House.
Mzalendo Trust is a Kenyan Parliamentary Monitoring Organisation.
The lawmakers, the report states, were least vocal in expressing public or constituents’ views and debating issues of local and national importance, which “as representatives” is one of the core and vital mandates of parliamentarians.
All MP sit in plenary sessions four times a week as per the House rules (Standing Orders).
The 20 MPs who did not utter a word on the floor in the past year are UDA’s Oscar Sudi (Kapseret), ODM’s Paul Abuor (Rongo), Wiper’s Irene Kasalu (Kitui), ANC’s Charles Gumini (Hamisi) and UDA’s Joseph Kipkosgei (Kuresoi South).
Others are Mathia Robi (Subukia) of UDA, Patrick Simiyu of DAP-Kenya, ODM’s George Aladwa (Madaraka), Paul Kibet (Rongai) of UDA, ANC’s Dena Hamisi (nominated) and UDA’s Joseph Iraya (nominated).
Also on the list of shame are UDA’s Stephen Wachira (Laikipia West), ODM’s Mohamed Machele (Mvita), Jubilee’s Irene Mrembo (Bahati), UDA’s Alfred Kipronoh (Kuresoi North), ODM’s Patrick Osero (Borabu), UDA’s Clement Logova (Sabatia) and UDA’s Barre Abdi (Tarbaj).
“The number of MPs who have not spoken this year is slightly higher compared to last year’s scorecard, from 19 MPs to 20 MPs with more than a half of the House having spoken less than 10 times,” the report states.
In the Senate, ODM’s Issa Boy (Kwale) and his nominated colleagues Betty Bat (ODM) and Shakilla Mohamed (Wiper) were the least active. They spoke six, 19 and 22 times respectively.
Senators Crystal Asige (nominated) and Samson Cherargei (Nandi, lead with the highest number of bills sponsored in the Senate – six and five respectively.
“The 2024 scorecard analyses the contributions of members and the legislative outputs of the 13th Parliament since the release of the 2023 Scorecard on August 1, 2023,” the report states.
The report shows that most of the inactive members are often absent when the Houses are considering or voting on crucial bills and items.
For instance, all three inactive senators were absent when the Senate voted Affordable Housing Bill, IEBC (Amendment) Bill, Primary Health Care Bill and Sugar Bill.
The revelations are an indictment on the lawmakers whose salaries and perks are costing the taxpayers an arm and a leg.
The lawmakers take home more than Sh1 million every month to represent, oversight and legislation on behalf of their constituents.
However, the report also reveals Kenya’s most active MPs in the two Houses of Parliament — the Senate and the National Assembly.
In the National Assembly, Funyula MP Wilberforce Oundo spoke a record 103 times on the floor, to become the most active legislator in the House.
Besides being the most active, Oundo voted against the controversial Finance Bill, 2024 and rejected former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment.
“[He] requested for a statement on challenges faced by students in accessing university registration through KUCCPS and raised a question to the CS for Education on withholding of KCSE certificates due to failure to clear fees,” the report states.
ODM’s Beatrice Elachi (Dagoretti North) and James Nyikal (Seme) spoke 98 and 94 times respectively in the debating chamber.
Wiper’s Makali Mulu (Kitui Central), and Jubilee’s Adan Keynan (Eldas) top the list of the five most active members. Makali spoke 80 times while Keynan spoke 47 times.
Keynan, known as the father of the House, is serving his fifth term as an MP.
“There are six things that make a Member of Parliament stand out but the most important thing is that MPs should know they are politicians and lawmakers with defined roles in the constitution,” he said.
Keynan, who was ranked as among the most firebrand youthful lawmakers in 1998 alongside current President William Ruto, said MPs need to learn about the changing political environment to remain relevant.
“MPs need to understand their constitutional mandate, they should appreciate emerging issues like the social media and the fact that the world has become a global village. But the most important is they are politicians who carry the aspirations of their people,” he said.
In the Senate, youthful senators; Cherargei, Eddy Oketch (Migori), Tabitha Mutinda (nominated), Okong’o Omogeni (nominated) and Gloria Orwoba (nominated) dominate the floor.
They spoke 209, 159, 142, 137 and 136 times respectively during the period.
Further, the report ranks Elachi, ODM’s ZamZam Mohamed (Mombasa), Catherine Omanyo (Busia), UDA’s Dorothy Ikiara (nominated) and UDA’s Jane Njeri (Kirinyaga) as the most active women in the National Assembly.
Top five most active youthful MPs are Njeri Maina (Kirinyaga), Cynthia Muge (Nandi), Gitonga Mukunji (Manyatta), Robert Mbui (Yatta) and Charles Nguna (Mwingi West).
MPs Didmus Barasa, Peter Masara, Rahim Dawood, Joyce Kamene, David Gikaria, Sabina Chege and Owen Baya have sponsored the highest number of bills.
