REPUBLIC OF KENYA NYANDARUA COUNTY ASSEMBLY OFFICIAL REPORT

Transcription

1 REPUBLIC OF KENYA NYANDARUA COUNTY ASSEMBLY 1 ST ASSEMBLY-3 RD SESSION OFFICIAL REPORT (The Hansard) Tuesday, 17 th February 2015 The Assembly met at the Assembly Chambers at 2:30 PM The Speaker, Hon. Ndegwa Wahome in the Chair Prayer QUORUM CALL AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF SITTING Speaker: Clerk, confirm that there is quorum (The clerk-at-the-table confirms that there is no quorum) Speaker: Okay, there being no quorum, I invoke the provisions of the standing order no. 35 and direct that the bell be rung for 10 minutes or until such a time that quorum will have been achieved. (Division bell is rung for 3 minutes and quorum is achieved as confirmed by the clerk-at-thetable) Speaker: Quorum having been achieved, we now proceed with the business for today. First order. copy of the Hansard Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, NCA Page 1

2 COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR Speaker: Hon. Members, there is a brief communication from the chair as we wait for the enactment of the Public Petitions Act. For the time being, we have employed intervention measures and I am going to read the communication to that effect; Hon. Members, The Constitution of Kenya under Article 10 enshrines public participation as a key principle of governance. Among the objects of devolution as outlined under Article 174 of the constitution is to enhance the participation of the people in the exercise of the powers of the state in making decisions affecting them. Further, Article 196 mandates the County Assembly to facilitate public participation and involvement in the legislative and other business of the assembly. In undertaking public participation, the County Assembly shall stand guided by Section 87 of the County Government Act 2012, which outlines the principles of citizen participation. Among them is timely access to information, data, documents, and other information relevant or related to policy formulation and implementation; Further, County Governments are by law obligated to establish institutional frameworks for civic education. Part X of the County Government Act Sections is categorical on the principals and obligations of the county governments, its entities and agencies. In devoid of an operational law, as is our case now, and framework in existence at the moment, we thereby have to work towards achievement of this. In light of the above, the Nyandarua County Assembly Service Board has entered into partnership with the Rights Promotion & Protection Centre (RPP). RPP is a registered non-governmental organization with support from the Constitution and Reform Education Consortium (CRECO) and Drivers of Accountability. The project being undertaken is themed: Enhancing Service Delivery and Accountability through Public Participation in the Devolved Structures. The copy of the Hansard Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, NCA Page 2

3 objective of the program is towards Improved Government Accountability and transparency in service delivery to Kenyans at the local level. This engagement has seen the Assembly partner with Sauti ya Mwananchi Radio Station to air interactive talk show programs which will discuss matters of service delivery in the County Government focused on the mandate, success, challenges and the way forward for the Nyandarua County Assembly. These programs started on Friday, 13 February 2015 and will be aired weekly on Fridays from 1700hrs to 1800hrs for five weeks. Hon. Members you are thereby encouraged and informed to remain well prepared especially pertaining to the Bills under your committees, for any of you may be called upon to represent this Assembly and the people of Nyandarua in these talk shows to discuss the Bills, Regulations or any law(s) emanating or intended to emanate from this Assembly so that the people of Nyandarua can move forward with us. We are working on the program to be aired this week in order to know which subject or Bills will be dealt with so that the relevant chairperson and may be a memebr of their committee can be notified in good time in order to have time to prepare. Next order. PAPER LAID ELUCIDATION OF THE PROGRESS REPORT BY THE TASKFORCE ON LANDS, HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT (OL KALOU ANNEX) BY THE COMMITTEE ON LANDS, HOUSING AND PHYSICAL PLANNING Hon. Kariuki Muchiri: Mr. Speaker, I stand to be guided because the laying of this progress report was done last week. With regard to this, I seek leave of this House to read the progress report. Speaker: Yes, in fact you were supposed to elucidate the progress report because it has already been tabled. You had asked to be given time in order to go through it. So proceed. copy of the Hansard Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, NCA Page 3

4 Hon. Kariuki Muchiri: Thank you Mr. Speaker. The Committee on Lands, Housing and Physical Planning is comprised of the following members: 1. Hon. Kariuki Muchiri -Chairperson 2. Hon. John G. Mwaniki -V/chairperson 3. Hon. Ann Kionero -Member 4. Hon. Monica Wamuyu -Member 5. Hon. Patricia Wanjugu -Member 6. Hon. Sylvester Kagiri -Member 7. Hon. Rahab Wanjihia -Member For the purpose of this assignment, the area Members of the County Assembly representing Karau and Kaimbaga wards, Hon. Sammy Kamau and Hon. Kimani Njiraini, respectively, were invited. Mr. Speaker sir, on 13 th March 2014 His Excellency the Governor of Nyandarua County constituted a taskforce to look into matters of land within the County. The taskforce was mandated to do the following; i. To establish and document the correct plot/land allocation ii. To document and recommend mechanisms for registration of public purpose plot in the county. iii. To recommend remedial measures to be undertaken where necessary iv. To recommend for redress matters of great concern to the County Land Management Board and/or National Land Commission. v. Identify matters of great concern and hand them over to the County land Management Board and/or National land Commission for redress vi. Develop workable mechanisms of holding and checking improper handling of land matters in the County vii. Come up with alternative and most appropriate land management systems. copy of the Hansard Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, NCA Page 4

5 viii. Harmonize activities of physical planning, survey, land registration and administration within the county. I must say from the onset that this progress report is on Ol kalou town and not the county as a whole. Because the progress report is in the Member s files, I do not want to read word for word. I believe Members have gone through the progress report. Having highlighted the mandate of the taskforce, I would like to go to chapter two of the progress report, which is about The Approach and Scope of the Assignment. It is important to highlight on this chapter for Members because it is based on how the Committee was working. The work of the committee was guided by terms of reference and the following general methodologies were adopted; we had weekly meetings and we were able to obtain the relevant documents like the development plans, both the approved ones and those that are not approved. For the purposes of this report, the taskforce used the proposed Development Plan of the year There are issues which I will highlight, which will also be contained in the final report. We found out that the plan of the year 2000 which was used by the taskforce had issues which must be addressed seriously if we are going to avoid litigations as a county government. I will come to that later Mr. Speaker. We had working retreat where we perused and compared the report with the development plan. We also held consultative deliberations. We had field visits so as to ascertain whether everything was captured in the Development Plan. But there were issues that arose after visiting the sites. We found out that there were areas that had been left out yet they are within the town. The Development Plan left out some chunks of land to private people and this is very dangerous. That is why I am saying that that Development Plan has got issues. On the Northern side at the border between the Settlement Schemes and the town are very huge and tall eucalyptus trees. A perusal of the proposed Development Plan revealed that there is a parcel of land that is left as private. It is a big parcel of land. On the approved Development Plan, it shows that we are supposed to have public utilities there. But this area in the new Development Plan is indicated as private. It is actually fenced. In the final report we copy of the Hansard Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, NCA Page 5

6 shall recommend that the plan which was taken to Nairobi for approval be recalled and the views and recommendations of the assembly be taken into consideration, very seriously. Otherwise we are going to lose that which was meant for this county. Mr. Speaker, that Development Plan also has got serious issues because there is closure of existing roads. For example, there is that road between the stadium and the commercial plots. This road goes all the way to the other side via the P.E.F.A. Church and down to the polytechnic alongside the presidential planted park. It is omitted by the Development Plan of Again, there was a very serious omission; there is a discrepancy in measurements of about 200m. And Members, through the Speaker, you know in a town what a discrepancy of 200m entails. It can bring a lot of problems. That is why we need to be very serious with this Development Plan. Before it is approved by the National Government, we are supposed as an assembly to give our input. That is why as a committee we shall recommend that the Development Plan be recalled so that we know how this discrepancy of 200m, which is not mentioned in this report that we are going through, will be corrected. Mr. Speaker, there is another issue that came to our attention. This one regards the approved Development Plans. Part of that Development Plan is missing. I really don t know what we are going to do about the missing portion- Development Plan that encompasses this side of the old town where the assembly is, all the way to J. M. Memorial Hospital. This raises some very serious issues since we wanted to find out whether what was approved is highlighted in the proposed Development Plan. We didn t want issues whereby a certain public utility was approved and then when we come to the proposed Development Plan, it is not there. We have seen such issues Mr. Speaker. The details of the issues we have found out will be addressed comprehensively in the final report. So Mr. Speaker, that was a brief summary of the findings. I don t want to read all of it because there were issues with numbers. You can see that some items are there in the report but not in the map. Mr. Speaker, as I conclude, I want to thank your office for facilitation and the committee for its tireless effort. I thank the Members for Kaimbaga and Karau for their support and insight. copy of the Hansard Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, NCA Page 6

7 I appreciate the office of the Clerk for the support in coming up with the highlights of this report. Mr. Speaker, we need to write that final report and there are a few issues we need addressed so that we are able to do that important report. The recommendations we are going to make are key and shall be reference points in addition to the recommendations that the task force made. Down there we have the references. I hope Members will support the final report. As I have mentioned, there are serious omissions in the report; although it was written by technical people who are well versed with issues of land. With our little knowledge we were able to point out some serious anomalies that I believe this House will address. Thank you. Speaker: Very well. The House is anxiously waiting for the final report. As you know, Ol kalou is in a state of standstill. No serious development is taking place until this issue is resolved. So I think chairman the earlier the better, so that we are able to move on as a town. As it stands now, no serious investor would invest in Ol-Kalou town until these issues are resolved. Therefore this shows the importance of this matter. And although there is that very serious challenge about finances to enable movement, the chairman and your committee, it is important that as you come up with the final report you make consultations with the relevant authorities which includes the Parliament on the extent to which you can go with this report; that is, can you make amendments or recommendations to this report? Can you approve this report with amendments or you can only reject it? These are critical issues that I have been able to talk to two or more persons about. We need to clarify on the powers of this House to deal with the report from the Commission of Enquiry, from a Task Force or any other body formed by the Executive. Before we even go to the actual report, if there is a proposed report or proposed Development Plan which goes contrary to the original Development Plan, and it is adverse to the public interest, we need to communicate to the Executive Member concerned so that they can liaise with the National Land Commission in order to maintain the status quo until as a county, we take action. We will be able to liaise with the chairman for that purpose. This is very critical because you cannot propose to alienate public property. Nobody has such powers. Such a map is obviously copy of the Hansard Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, NCA Page 7

8 illegal, null and void according to the law. It should not be allowed for approval because you cannot create a nullity within legality. On the missing Development Plan, I think we should be able to also, using the relevant offices, deal with the Director of Survey because you will not be able to do a comprehensive report without the missing Development Plan. Such a plan cannot miss in the office of the Director of Survey. He has the Development Plans for all the areas set aside for urban development in this county. If it is not there then the National Land Commission will be able to know from the Director of Survey as to why there is a missing Development Plan for part of Ol- Kalou Township. Otherwise, I think that is good enough and from the highlights only, I can see the kind of anxiety it has caused to the House. It is a report that this House and the people of Nyandarua are waiting for because it is only after the development of Ol-Kalou that the spillover will be felt in other parts of this county. We wish you well in that engagement. Next. PAPER LAID REPORT BY THE COMMITTEE ON ROADS, TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC WORKS ON THE STATUS OF ROADS IN NYANDARUA COUNTY. Hon. Kimani Gachuhi: Mr. Speaker sir, I beg to table the report by the Committee on Roads, Public Works and Transport on the status of roads in Nyandarua County with the clerk-at-thetable. Speaker: Very well. That report is duly tabled. The House Business Committee will allocate time for giving of the notice of the motion on the report and for the motion on adoption of the report. Next. NOTICE OF MOTION Hon. Nyangati: Thank you Mr. Speaker. copy of the Hansard Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, NCA Page 8

9 Mr. Speaker Sir, I beg to give notice of the following motion: Aware that County Governments are obligated by the law to implement an appropriate civic education program in accordance to a design and framework established by the national government; Further aware that County Governments are obligated to enact a law providing requisite institutional framework for the purpose of facilitating and implementing civic education programs; Noting that this Assembly made a budgetary allocation to the County Government for the purpose of implementing civic education programs specifically through the County Department dealing with legal matters; Recognizing and appreciating the dire need to educate the people on matters of governance particularly now that devolution is rooting itself in our governance structures; Now therefore I urge that this House does resolve the following: 1. That the relevant County Department does take every measure to liaise and cooperate with the National Government to ensure that the design and framework of the contents of civic education curriculum is established; 2. That in the meantime, the County Government including the County Assembly does establish structures and initiate programs designed for educating the public on matters of governance and devolution. Thank you Mr. Speaker sir. Speaker: Very well, the notice is duly given and the House Business Committee shall allocate time for moving the motion. Next order. Yes Member for Githabai and the Chairman of the Committee on Health Services, Hon. Peter Njoroge Kairu copy of the Hansard Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, NCA Page 9

10 (The member is not in the House) The Member for Githabai is not present. Let us forego the matter. It will be reported when the chairman will be ready. (The Speaker consults with the clerk-at-the-table) I think I had another order paper that has the response but the one that was redone today has different information. Next order. (The Business in the order paper is exhausted) (Hon. Wambugu King'ori rises) Yes, Deputy Speaker and the Member for North Kinangop Hon. Edinald Wambugu King'ori Hon. Wambugu King'ori: Thank you Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order under Standing Order 39 which concerns the weekly program of the Assembly alongside Standing Order 187. One of the functions of Liaison Committee is to guide and co-ordinate the operations, policies and mandates of all committees Speaker: Article 39 and? Hon. Wambugu King'ori: Articles 39 and 187 of the Standing Orders. Mr. Speaker I am asking for your guidance on the same. Speaker: Members, I think it is good that that issue has been raised by the Chairman of Liaison Committee and the Deputy Speaker. As we agreed we have to ensure that we have structures that run this Assembly as per the rules that we have passed. We agreed that during this term we have to implement the provisions of article 39 of the Standing Orders on the issue of weekly programs as well as article 187. Members, the reason we think that these weekly programs are very critical is because we have a lot of problems within that committees such that all the committees may decide to sit during the same day at ten o clock. Therefore Members will hop from one committee to the other and consequently there will be no quorum in several committees. I do not copy of the Hansard Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, NCA Page 10

11 think that is the way the committees should work. An Assembly should have a structured way of working. We are moving out during the weekends and the Members travel all the way to Nairobi only to find that their committee has no quorum because some of its Members are in other committees in Nakuru and the others in Naivasha. In that case, there would be no payment because we cannot pay if there is no business transacted. We have decided that since it was not in vain that articles 39 as well as article 187 were put in the Standing Order, they are to serve the purpose and the Parliament must have suffered the predicament we are going through to so as create them. We are in agreement that those weekly programs will be prepared by the Liaison Committee and submitted to the House Business Committee by the Chairman who is also a Member of the House Business Committee, so that every week every Member is sure where they are going to meet and at what time and we shall cure this mischief. It will also be very clear to every Member where they are supposed to be when they have gone out. We are assured that every Committee will be able to achieve quorum. That business has already been started and at this point I would request the Chairman of the Liaison Committee and the Deputy Speaker, the Member for North Kinangop, Hon. Wambugu King'ori to go through the weekly program that has been prepared for this week so that the Members can see what exactly we are working on. Hon. Wambugu King'ori: Thank you Mr. Speaker for that guidance. Mr. Speaker with me is the Committee s weekly program starting 16 th to 22 nd February Today is 17 th and therefore the 16 th day is gone. House Business Committee: committee meeting to consider and programme for the Assembly s business for the week beginning Monday 23 rd February to Sunday 1 st March 2015 on Thursday 19 th February 2015 at pm in the committee room at the Assembly grounds. Liaison Committee: meeting to arrange committee s weekly programme for the week beginning Monday 23 rd February to Sunday 1 st March 2015 and consider the way forward for the issue of copy of the Hansard Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, NCA Page 11

12 Committees work plans on Thursday 19 th February 2015 at 9.00 am in the Committee room at the Assembly grounds. It is important for the chairmen of different Committees to be there because if any member of Liaison Committee will fail to come, maybe his or her Committee will not be considered in the program of the week. On 16 th February 2015, the Committee on Water Environment and Natural Resources had a Committee meeting to consider the input by the Executive Committee Member in charge of Water Environment and Natural Resources on Nyandarua County Water and Sanitation Service draft Bill. My expectation is that the chairman of the Committee has done the same. On 19 th February 2015 the same Committee shall meet for members of the Assembly to submit the final proposed amendments on the Nyandarua County Water and Sanitation Draft Bill. On 19 th February 2015, this committee will go for report writing to derive the final draft for the Nyandarua County Water and Sanitation Services Draft Bill. (Hon. Kamau Ngotho rises on a point of order) Speaker: What is it member for Karau? Hon. Kamau Ngotho: Mr. Speaker it is good that you have given a ruling on the standing order 39 and 187 but my concern is on whether it is the Deputy Speaker who is supposed to be making that communication which is supposed to be made on Thursday. This is the Business of the Committee and not the Business of the plenary. Should this be communicated here or it should be put in the pigeon hole or given to the chairpersons of the committees? Speaker: That is the agreement that we had in the House Business Committee that those programs should be put in the pigeon holes. I had given direction that he reads it so that you can know what kind of things you should expect otherwise this cannot be communicated in the House, it has to be put in the website and in the pigeon holes only to give notice to the Members. I had said that we can read so that the Members can know what they are expecting. This is because, and I had not communicated this, if the business is not urgent and certified as urgent copy of the Hansard Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, NCA Page 12

13 and it is not in the weekly program, then I would not expect you to request me for a meeting either in or outside the Assembly. This will ensure that we are able to carry out serious business in the committees and the chairpersons can meet and be able to give directions. Article 187 gives a lot of powers to the Liaison Committee and it is the one that sets the pace on how the Assembly will run. The problem that has been there is that whenever the chairman of the Liaison Committee calls for a meeting it does not have quorum. Whenever a chairperson knows that his Committee does not have business in the coming week, then I expect that the Liaison Committee will have 100% attendance. That is the only way we can conduct business for this Assembly and be able to give firm direction and build consensus. It is only at the committee level that we can speak and come into a consensus. One chairperson can say that my committee will sit at noon and the other one will say my committee will sit at ten. With the weekly program even the Members themselves will enjoy because they could attend meetings and deliberate. This will move this Assembly ahead. Otherwise Member for Karau this was meant to show the Members what they are expecting. Hon. Wambugu King'ori: Thank you Mr. Speaker. I would also like to add that this is the beginning of the journey and since we did not meet last week and the House Business Committee has come up with this program, we had to communicate directly in the plenary. For more information I believe that the chairpersons shall meet on Thursday and if there is anyone with changes, we can look at them in the Committee. Mr. Speaker allow me to proceed. The Committee on Implementation s activity on 17 th February 2015 is Committee meeting to follow up implementation of the report on the renovation of the County Governor s office and the parking bay. The meeting will be held at the Committee room at the Assembly grounds. On Thursday 19 th February to Sunday 22 nd February 2015, the committee will have report writing on the status of implementation of the report on the renovation of the County Governor s office and the parking bay. The meeting will be held in Naivasha or Nairobi or Nyandarua with the approval of the Speaker depending on the availability of funds. copy of the Hansard Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, NCA Page 13

14 The Committee on Justice Legal Affairs and Public Service had an activity on 17 th February 2015 and I expect that they did that they had a committee meeting to scrutinize the tender documents from the Executive. The same Committee shall meet on Thursday to scrutinize the county Assembly Petitions Bill in the Committee room at the Assembly s grounds. Then they shall go for report writing on the deployment of the procurement- staff and to generate the final proposal for the County Assembly Petition (Procedure) Bill. The report writing will be held on Friday 20 th February 2015 to 21 st February 2015 in Naivasha or Nyandarua County with the approval of the Speaker and subject to availability of funds. On Tuesday 17 th February 2015, the Committee on ICT and e-government were expected to have a meeting to chat on the way forward for the coming quarter and I hope that Hon. Ngotho and his Committee did that at 9.00 am. On Thursday 19 th February 2015, the committee will have a meeting for demonstration of the bulk SMS system by the Principal ICT officer in the Committee room at the Assembly grounds. Committee on Agriculture Livestock and Fisheries had a Committee meeting Tuesday 17 th February 2015 to scrutinize the proposed draft; Agricultural Development Authority Bill, I hope the Committee met for the same. The same Committee meets on Thursday 19 th February 2015 to review the input from the CEC Member for Agriculture on the Draft Bill at am in the Committee room at the Assembly grounds. The Intergovernmental Relations and Coordination Committee was expected to have a meeting on Tuesday 17 th February 2015 to address the departmental functions, needs and map the way forward. The same Committee meets on Thursday 19 th February 2015 with the Chief Officer in charge of Intergovernmental Relations Department to look at the structure of the department. On Friday 20 th February 2015, it will meet to deliberate on issues that need co-operation between the national government and the county government in the Committee room at the Assembly grounds. All the programs that have been scheduled on 20 th February 2015 shall be rescheduled because we shall be meeting the Executive at Nyandarua Institute. The chairpersons will decide copy of the Hansard Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, NCA Page 14

15 the dates they will reschedule the meetings to. The Committee on Health Services on 17 th February 2015 was to visit Ngano Health Centre at Charagita ward. I hope they have done that. On Thursday 19 th February 2015 the Committee will have a meeting with the CEC Member and the Chief Officer for Health Services and on Friday 20 th February 2015 the Committee will have a meeting with the Director of Medical Services. The House Business decided to merge the activities of Committee on Health Services of Thursday and Friday. They should meet the CEC Member and Chief Officer for Health Services and the Director for Health Services on Thursday in the Committee room at the Assembly grounds. On Thursday 19 th February 2015, the Committee on Delegated County Legislation shall meet to look at the progress of the Code of Conduct and Statutory Instruments Bill at 9.00 am in the Committee room at the Assembly grounds and on Friday they have an activity: visiting the flower farms in the county. The chairperson will be expected to give the specific time for this activity. The Committee on Roads, Transport and Public Works had an activity today to discuss status of human resource in the department in the Committee Room, Assembly grounds and on 19 th February at 11:00 a.m., the committee shall meet the CEC Member to discuss the Draft Parking Places Bill, 2015 in the committee rooms. Later they shall finalize the draft Nyandarua County Park Places Bill, 2015 and generate a legislative proposal for submission to the Hon. Speaker starting on Friday 20 th February to Sunday 22 nd February The venue is Nairobi or Naivasha or Nyandarua. This will come up with the approval of the Hon. Speaker and subject to availability of funds. The Committee on Lands, Housing and Physical Planning was expected to have an activity yesterday concerning Block Identifications of Ol-Kalou Town. Committee on Industrialization, Trade and Cooperatives had an activity concerning analyzing the Tourism Promotion Draft Bill 2015 in the Committee Room at the Assembly Grounds. Mr. Speaker that is the committees weekly program starting from 16 th up to 22 nd February All the chairs shall meet on Thursday to discuss on the same in order to harmonize this program and chart the way forward. Thank you Mr. Speaker. copy of the Hansard Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, NCA Page 15

16 Speaker: Thank you Chairman of Liaison Committee. What I have been wondering Members, and I would ask the Committee to look at, is that however much we would like it, all the chairpersons cannot be available all the time. I am addressing the Chairman of Liaison Committee. It is important that you look for ways that these Members can accommodate maybe the vice-chairs when the chair is not there, or by delegation, a member of the committee. However much we want as human beings, we are going to be caught in situations where the chairperson cannot be there and a committee has been factored in the weekly program. Even if it is internally, before we go to the Standing Orders, we can create a way where the chair can delegate, even if it is to a clerk, in line with what the committee has agreed and make a presentation before the Liaison Committee so that we don t leave any committee out. Each committee has a business to transact. (Hon Peter Kairu rises) Speaker: Yes Member for Githabai. Hon. Peter Kairu: Mr. Speaker sir. Regarding the arrangement for meetings, will all the Members be making eight sittings per week? Sometimes the committees might not have the eight sittings per week. Speaker: The way we did it is that it is unlikely that a member can be in the four committee meetings. We ensured that every committee has business during that week. Most of us are members of at least three committees. It is most unlikely that you will miss your four sittings. If somebody misses the four committee meetings because of the membership of the committee they belong to, then those issues can be raised and be addressed as they emerge. But of now, I believe everybody can have the four sittings. (Hon Kimani Njiraini rises) Speaker: Yes Member for Kaimbaga. copy of the Hansard Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, NCA Page 16

17 Hon. Kimani Njiraini: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. That program is good but some of the committees chairpersons are not up to the task. If I am in the Agriculture Committee, Committee on Water Resources and Delegated County Legislation, it is at times frustrating for Members to find that one of the committees is not active. So you will be missing on some of the programmes. I think you should stamp your authority Mr. Speaker so that all the Members will be attending the committee meetings with their chairpersons. Thank you. Speaker: Very well Member for Kaimbaga. When you work within structures, that is when you know those who are working and those who are not working. It will be upon the Members of the committee to deal with the chair who is not able to do his work, and the Standing Orders are very clear on what you are supposed to do. It is for you to take action. The chairpersons should know that they have to provide business because there is more than enough business in this county. The chairpersons should call for meetings and deal with the business for this county. If the person cannot discharge the responsibility of a chairperson, the committee members know exactly what they need to do. In the case like of the committee that will be sitting at Nyandarua Institute for two days, we were advised accordingly by the parliament and we agreed that when we are attending those committees, one is entitled to the sittings. So what we are saying is that it is unlikely to get the four sittings. When you go out for the meetings, it is supposed to be factored in as a sitting for the committee. But I know there are chairpersons who have not been doing what they are supposed to do. Now they have to do it. There is no option. As the Speaker I will not agree. Since the legal structures protect how I should work in a dignified manner, I will not expect that letters are slipped under my table one hour before they want me to advice. We have to work in a structured manner. We have the weekly program and you know exactly what you want to do next week. Give me time to look at the program in order to approve it. Some of us work in an environment that is dignified, where everybody knows exactly what is expected. Next order. copy of the Hansard Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, NCA Page 17

18 ADJOURNMENT Speaker: Hon. Members, there being no any other business, this House will now adjourn to tomorrow Wednesday 19 February 2015 at 9:00 am. The House rose at 3.30 pm. copy of the Hansard Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, NCA Page 18