REPUBLIC OF KENYA TWELFTH PARLIAMENT-SECOND SESSION ------------------------------ THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY REPORT ON THE AFFAIRS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DURING THE SECOND SESSION OF THE 12TH PARLIAMENT FEBRUARY - DECEMBER, 2018 The Clerk’s Chambers, National Assembly, Parliament of Kenya, Parliament Buildings, Nairobi, Kenya Table of Contents PREFACE ........................................................................................................................... 4 1.0 Introduction.................................................................................................................... 6 1.1 Resumption of the House ................................................................................................................ 6 1.2 Special sittings of Parliament ........................................................................................................... 7 1.3 Swearing-In of Members .................................................................................................................. 8 1.4 Composition of the House .............................................................................................................. 8 1.5 Demise of sitting and former Members ......................................................................................... 8 1.6 Capacity Building of Members ..................................................................................................... 12 1.7 Visit and Address by H.E. the President .................................................................................... 14 1.8 Dignitaries and Guests of the House .......................................................................................... 19 1.9 Citizens’ Interactions with the National Assembly ................................................................... 22 2.0 PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS AND BUSINESS .......................................... 24 2.1 Communication from the Chair ................................................................................................... 24 2.2 Messages .......................................................................................................................................... 26 2.3 Papers Laid ...................................................................................................................................... 28 2.4 Petitions ........................................................................................................................................... 28 2.5 Notices of Motions ........................................................................................................................ 29 2.6 Statements ....................................................................................................................................... 30 2.7 Parliamentary Questions ............................................................................................................... 35 d) Grand Total for 2018 ................................................................................................................... 39 2.8 Motions ............................................................................................................................................ 41 2.9 Bills ................................................................................................................................................... 42 3.0 STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS (TOTAL NUMBER INTRODUCED) ................. 56 3.1 Protocols/Treaties ......................................................................................................................... 59 3.2 Sessional Papers .............................................................................................................................. 60 4.0 INTERNATIONAL DESKS, 2018 ............................................................................... 61 4.1 Caucuses .......................................................................................................................................... 65 4.2 Friendship Groups ......................................................................................................................... 65 2 4.3 Attachments/Internships .............................................................................................................. 65 4.4 Key Procedural issues and other Developments ....................................................................... 65 4.5 Disciplinary and Penal Powers of the House ............................................................................. 66 4.6 Order in the House and in Committee of the Whole House .................................................. 66 4.7 Matters referred to the Committee of Privileges ....................................................................... 68 5.0 REVIEW OF THE STANDING ORDERS ................................................................ 68 5.1 The place of Kiswahili in the Chamber....................................................................................... 71 5.2 New developments during the Session ....................................................................................... 74 5.3 Key issues in Committees ............................................................................................................. 74 6.0DIRECTORATE BRIEFS ............................................................................................ 80 6.1 Directorate of Legislative and Procedural Services ................................................................... 83 6.2 Hansard Department ..................................................................................................................... 84 6.3 Serjeant-At-Arms Department ..................................................................................................... 85 6.4 Directorate of the Speaker’s Office ............................................................................................. 85 6.5 Directorate of Committee Services.............................................................................................. 83 6.6 Directorate of Legal Services ........................................................................................................ 83 ANNEXURES .................................................................................................................... 88 3 PREFACE This is the Second, albeit expanded, Report on the Affairs of the National Assembly during the 12th Parliament covering the Second Session and drawing together into a single, comprehensive document an account of the activities of the House in 2018. In the year under consideration, the House continued to play an important part in legislation, oversight and representation of the people, and in international diplomacy, working with a wide array of stakeholders, and ensuring the participation of the people in parliamentary processes. The Commmittees and the House considered many legislative proposals, Bills, budget proosals, audit reports, motions, statements, public petitions, approved appointments to public offices, Statutory Instruments, ratification of agreements, conventions and treaties, among other issues of concern to the people. The activities of the House also involved fruitful plenary and committee sittings, inquiries and other activities within and outside the precincts of the House, and abroad, including providing parliamentary diplomacy, and supporting the programmes of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) and the Pan African Parliament (PAP). The House, through its members and panels, engaged in various international fora such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Commonwealth Parliamenary Association (CPA), African Carribean and Pacific, European Union, and Joint Parliamentary Association (ACP-EU-JPA), Forum of Parliaments of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (FP-ICGLR), among others. 4 The National Assembly Service continued to provide effective services and support to the House, leadership, committees, members, external stakeholders and the public during this time with the necessary adaptability and flexibility from staff across the entire Administration. This report is just but a modest summary of the activities of the House. I wish to therefore thank all staff of the National Assembly Service for a job well done. MICHAEL R. SIALAI, EBS CLERK OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY April 2019 5 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Resumption of the House and Calendar of the House The National Assembly resumed its sittings on Tuesday, 13th February, 2018 after the 2017 December recess.The first business to be undertaken by the House at the commencement of a session is establishment of the House Business Committee and approval of the Calendar of the Session, among other matters. On Tuesday, February 13, 2018, the House, by resolution, appointed the House Business Committee and adjourned to allow the Committee to plan for business for the week and consider the draft calendar of the House. In this regard, on Wednesday, February 14, 2018, the National Assembly considered and approved its Calendar of Regular Sessions 2018 (Annex I) with 132 sitting days anticipated while introducing periods of short recess to give Members of Parliament sometime to visit their constituencies, perform committee functions and to take well deserved breaks with their families. During recess, Members undertook and considered business before Committees by scrutinizing various bills, conducted approval hearings