Kenyan MPs ‘among the least honest’

Photo/FILE Among the weaknesses cited in the Kenyan Parliament is the public perception of MPs as being below par and lacking interest in enforcing the code of conduct and corruption.

By AGGREY MUTAMBO amutambo@ke.nationmedia.com And LILLIAN ONYANGO laonyango@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Tuesday, June 7 2011 at 19:08

The Kenyan Parliament is among the most dishonest institutions of legislation in Africa, according to a new survey.

The Parliamentary Centre-Africa Programme report shows that the 10th Parliament has lost public trust because it lacks institutional integrity.

Of the seven countries assessed in Africa by the think-tank that monitors the effectiveness of national assemblies in budget making, only Kenya’s National Assembly could not beat the pass mark of five, scoring 4.7 out of 10.

Kenya is ranked behind Uganda (7), Tanzania (6.7), Zambia (7), Ghana (6.8), Benin (7.8), and Senegal (7.2) by the document titled the African Parliamentary Index.

“Institutional integrity is fundamental to ensuring public belief and acceptance of decisions,” says the report released on Tuesday.

Among the weaknesses cited in the Kenyan Parliament is the public perception of MPs as being below par and lacking interest in enforcing the code of conduct and corruption.

“Some countries are doing very well because they have a code of conduct that is codified in law,” said Dr Rasheed Draman, the director of the Parliamentary Centre-Africa Programme.

In Kenya, MPs’ behaviour is regulated through the National Assembly Powers and Privileges Act. However, enforcement is said to be weak.

National Assembly deputy Speaker Farah Maalim concedes that there is a problem in the current Parliament.

“We are still shackled by the intricacies of successive politics and haunted by some of the biggest corruption scandals,” he said.

Some MPs have been accused of misappropriation of the Constituency Development Fund, money laundering and drug trafficking.

The report says that part of the problem is lack of sufficient autonomy from the Executive, which influences key parliamentary decisions.

The irony is that Kenya’s is the only Parliament among the seven that can determine its own budget.

And even as the fiscal year approaches its end, MPs are yet to react to the huge amounts of unspent money (over Sh100 billion) being returned by some ministries.

This is also the year when the Ministry of Education could not account for Sh5 billion donor funds meant for the free primary education programme.

Nonetheless, the Kenyan Parliament scored highest in the passing of laws, with 9.3 marks. The survey was done between August, 2010, and February this year.

According to Dr Draman, the results will provide a platform where countries can learn from one another.

In the African Parliamentary Strengthening Programme for Budget Oversight, the countries will be involved in regular surveys for the next five years.