Why Azimio senators don’t attend sessions when CSs appear for questioning – Sifuna
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has explained why most Azimio allied senators don’t attend sessions when Cabinet Secretaries appear for questioning.
According to Sifuna, the Opposition believes the Cabinet Secretaries are in office illegally.
He insisted that the opposition’s absence when CSs appear in the senate is not absenteeism but being principled.
The Nairobi senator said they filed a reference at the High Court over the issues of CS being in office unconstitutionally and they await the court’s ruling later in October.
“The minority side does not attend sessions with CSs because we believe they are there unconstitutionally. We filed a reference to the High Court and are awaiting judgment this month. So it’s not absenteeism. It’s a principle,” Sifuna said.
He was responding to remarks by an X user who had responded to Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot asking him to ensure the Senate works to fix the high absenteeism rate.
The user noted that several Azimio senators were not present when Interior CS Kithure Kindiki appeared for questioning on Wednesday.
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In March, MPs adopted a report of the Committee on Procedure and House Rules seeking to amend Standing Order 25A.
It allowed CSs an opportunity to expound on government policy, reply to questions, and provide reports concerning matters under their control.
It also allowed them to appear on the aforementioned days after the adoption of amendments to Standing Order 40.
The Constitution only gave room for the CSs to appear before Parliamentary committees.
Article 153 (3) of the Constitution permitted Senate or National Assembly committees to sermon CSs.
It states that “A Cabinet Secretary shall attend before a committee of the National Assembly, or the Senate, when required by the committee, and answer any question concerning a matter for which the Cabinet Secretary is responsible”.
The amendment to the Standing Order gave room for CSs to appear before the plenary.
Why Azimio senators don’t attend sessions when CSs appear for questioning – Sifuna
