Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Maalim issues stern warning to House defaulters




Written By:Catherine Achieng'a,    Posted: Wed, Aug 10, 2011
Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim blamed sittings defaulters for paralyzing House business promising stern action against them
Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim Wednesday morning cautioned legislators of stern action for failing to show up in Parliament in time to ask or answer to questions, in the strongest warning issued yet.
The warning came following the absence of backbenchers to ask questions and also government ministers to respond to 12 questions slated in the order paper.
This forced the deputy speaker to call for round two during question time.
Maalim cautioned government ministers in the habit of skipping House sittings during question time that he may be forced to imply punitive sanctions including the option of suspending them from attending House sittings for two consecutive days.
This move will translate to serious political ramifications.
He also urged the executive to crackdown on wayward ministers and if necessary explores the option of firing those who fail to take house business seriously.
Govt.'s defense
Attempting to come to the defense of government, Environment Minister John Michuki urged the Deputy Speaker to give the ministers the benefit of doubt and first establish their whereabouts before stern action is imposed.
Michuki added that such action could not go down well should it be established that some of those absent may have been taken ill.
The Environment Minister's sentiments however sparked several points of order with Imenti Central MP Gitobu Imanyara dismissing his argument, citing that government ministers share collective responsibility and if any of the ministers was absent other ministers should know of his/her whereabouts and step in to respond to questions on behalf of the government.
Several questions were dropped while several others were postponed.

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