NADCO report top priority as Parliament resumes Tuesday: Speaker Wetangula

As Parliament prepares to resume its sittings after a long recess, an overflowing in-tray awaits the MPs with both backlog and workload ahead.

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula says this will be one of the busiest sessions of Parliament with top on the list being the constitution of the house business committee that will be scheduling house debates.

The speaker noted that the NADCO report is the first on parliament's agenda.

“We are going to make sure the NADCO report is prioritised because it has key issues that are of national importance,” said Wetangula.

Speaker Wetangula says MPs will be required to unpack the NADCO report sieve issues that require secondary legislations including the IEBC, establishment of the offices of the prime minister and office of official opposition.

MPs also return to a full budget-making cycle for the 2024-2025 financial year, with the Finance Committee set to deliberate on the Finance Bill as well as the division of revenue bill and the county allocation of revenue bill also to be handled by the Senate.

“This is the session that we also expect the finance minister to come to address the House on the budget. Senate will also outline what each county will get in terms of the national budget,” said Wetangula.

With the huge workload, Wetangula says MPs must brace themselves for long sitting hours and less foreign and local trips.

“Sasa hakutakuwa na safari za kwenda nje. If we are to send MPs outside we shall regulate the numbers,” he said.

Parliament has been on the receiving end over claims that it has been captured by the executive but Wetangula dismisses the claims.

“Bunge halitawahi tekwa nyara. There is no single point where president Ruto called me to influence debate,” he says.

Both majority and minority leaders will also be expected to front names of new members to various committees before proper sittings begin.