Moses Wetangula, the Speaker of the National Assembly, has expressed concern about the delays in discussing and passing essential legislative bills due to a lack of quorum in the August House. Wetangula made these remarks during a parliamentary leadership retreat held in Mombasa.
During his address to both the majority and minority leaders in the National Assembly, as well as the committee chairpersons and their deputies, Wetangula candidly expressed his disappointment with the legislators. He emphasized the need to avoid the embarrassment of not having enough members present in the House and reminded them of their unique responsibilities as leaders.
According to Chapter 8, Article 121 of the Constitution, legislative quorums require a minimum of 50 members out of 349 for the National Assembly and 15 members out of 67 for the Senate. Wetangula pointed out that meeting these quorum requirements has been a challenge.
The meeting in Mombasa also revealed that Tuesdays and Thursdays are the most problematic days for quorum issues in the House. Tuesdays are when MPs return from the weekend, and Thursdays mark the beginning of their extended weekend breaks. Minority leader Opiyo Wandayi echoed these concerns, describing the quorum issue as a significant headache and a hindrance to conducting important business.
It is worth noting that the National Assembly is currently on a lengthy recess and will resume its sessions next week.