Tuesday 17th all county assemblies across the country moved motions to adjourn their houses respectively in the wake of president Uhuru’s address to the nation that we have corona virus within our borders. The Senate and the national assembly postponed all other matters of the day and debated adjournment of the houses.
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The Senate agreed to return on march 31st 2020 and will be sitting once a week as they monitor the situation time from time . The national assembly chose to extend their stay away until 30th of April 2020. That’s how matters were taken in these national houses.
Welcome to Kakamega county, the home of the chairman of council of governors and here matters seemed to have been too heavy for the county assembly to procedurally handle. Tuesday 17th March 2020, the house was on its normal business and kabooooom! honourable members received notifications that the house had been adjourned forthwith!. They were concluding matters of the day and there was no more time for any member of the house to rise on point of order. They disbursed and that’s how the house receded into a two weeks break. The message from the speaker Hon Buluma read :;
Following a meeting of the House Business Committee held today 17.3.2020 and in light of the WHO declared COVID-19 pandemic an administrative decision has been taken as follows:
- That the plenary sittings stand adjourned for a period of 15 days.
- That Committee sittings be on a need basis.
- That the House Business Committee to meet and review the situation after 15 days ” end of quote.
Interestingly, on the same day, the Kakamega Senator had prepared a motion for the house on Corona viruses preparedness which he had given to one of the hon. Members to read and debate unfortunately it never went beyond house business committee under leadership of the speaker.
“The motion matter was so sensitive we don’t know why the speaker ignored that and decided to adjourn the house via messenger” A hon member was quoted saying. “The matter of the motion (malalas) was urgent and of national importance and it was the best motion before adjournment of the House… But it was overlooked” retorted a member who did not wish to be named.
According to standing orders below
(33) 1. Any member may at any time rise in his or her place and seek leave to move the adjournment of the house for purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent national importance.
Kakamega county assembly members are wondering where did the Hon Speaker get the powers to adjourn the house via sms. Will he use the same means to recall it? Is this now the new norm of transacting house business?
Hon Buluma the county assembly speaker knows better
