The picturesque horse-shoe design also comes with the state-of-the-art technology, including a public address system, electronic voting system and computer monitors.
The new-look Chamber is set to give members greater sitting space, ambience and personal comfort, with specially designed slots for persons with physical disabilities. It also caters for live broadcast of parliamentary proceedings and anticipated growth of the House in terms of numbers, based not just on the possibility of the Proposed Constitution being passed, but the calendared constituency review that takes place every ten years.
The current Parliament has 222 members and two ex-officio members, while the Proposed Constitution seeks to increase the number of members. However, even if it is not passed, there is a constitutionally sanctioned review mechanism that determines at what point the number of constituencies is re-evaluated to take such ever-changing trends as population growth, urbanisation, infrastructural development and economic disparities.
The horse-shoe design borrowed from the German Bundestag and the Dodoma-based Tanzanian Parliament would have between 350 to 400 individualised seats for MPs, and 20 mobile seats to cater for any eventuality in case of arbitrary increase in the numbers of MPs. The seats would be numbered and labelled with the MPs’ names.
Apart from the MPs, there would be a seating capacity of 600 in the media, public, diplomats’ and Speaker’s galleries.
The Clerk of the National Assembly Patrick Gichohi, said the project was moving on as scheduled and expected to be completed on time.
He said the horse-shoe model was informed by the need for every member to have equal access and catch the eye of Speaker during House business.
Horse-shoe
"The model is like the German Bundestag (Parliament) which is closer to horse-shoe so that every member can get access to the Speaker," said Gichohi.
Unlike the current arrangement where members have to stand to catch the attention of the Speaker, the new Chamber would have electronic buzz buttons, which members would press to alert the Speaker whenever they want to contribute to the business of the house.
And the Speaker will no longer have to shout himself or herself hoarse with the formal Order! Order! Warning and reprimand at disorderly members. Once he or she overrules a member, the Speaker would go ahead and disconnect the communication system, centrally controlled from his or her desk.
This cuts off the member from being heard in the House.
This will target those who breach the House rules such as making false allegations and raising frivolous Points of Order.
Shedding off the traditional norm where no electronic gadget is accessible while in the Chamber, every seat would be installed with a computer monitor where the MPs can follow the proceedings. The monitors will also enable intra-communication within the Chamber.
The Chairman of Tender and Procurement Committee in Parliamentary Service Commission Olago Aluoch said the interior of the Chamber would also be designed to cater for the physically challenged.
Though the model is a fusion of both the German Bundestag and Tanzanian models, it leans more towards the latter. And Olago says this is to give it ‘an African touch’ and to make it less expensive to run.
"We looked at other models but we agreed to have something similar to the one of Tanzania since it has the African touch in terms of murals and designs. It is also not expensive," said the Kisumu Town West MP.
Among the models that the Parliamentary Service Commission toured were Irish, South African and Indian Parliament as well as the British House of Commons.
The desire to refurbish the Chamber was informed by the need to transform it into an ultra-modern Parliament with state-of-the-art facilities and to also increase its seating capacity.
The plan was crafted long before the Constitution review process started and is no way connected with the new laws. The plan was mooted even before Speaker Kenneth Marende assumed office in 2008.
More than 622 MPs
The German Bundestag can accommodate more than 622 MPs while Tanzania’s Parliament has a seating capacity of 360 MPs.
Kenya’s new laws propose a bicameral system with a National Assembly of 349 members and a Senate of 67 members.
Since Parliament is a protected building, its exterior design cannot be interfered with, which is why only the interior is being refurbished.
It is against the law to interfere with the exterior design of the building. Other protected buildings are State House and State Lodges.
As the new Chamber undergoes renovation, MPs are currently using the Old Chamber, which can hardly accommodate 150 MPs.
During the reading of the Budget on June 10, the discomfort was evident. Additional seats had to be brought in to cater for more MPs. Currently there are 224 members, including the Speaker and the AG who are ex-officio members.
The Chamber under renovation could also not comfortably accommodate a full House.
There is a reprieve in the Old Chamber, however, because during normal sittings not all MPs attend proceedings at one go.
The main contractor of the project is Messrs Epco Builders while the project manager is the Chief Architect at the Ministry of Public Works. Structural works are undertaken by Messrs Netplus Communication Ltd.
Gichohi told The Standard everything was in order.
"We are on schedule and we hope members will occupy the refurbished Chamber in April," he said.
The renovation started in April.
So far, the contactor has demolished the Chamber floor, peeling off padding and finishes, removed ceiling, excavated and removed hard core and drainage installation.
The reconstruction of car park is underway and so is that of site offices, stores and sample rooms.
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