REVEALED: ‘Silent’ MPs who have never spoken in Parliament
Despite drawing millions of shillings in salary and allowances, 10 MPs have never spoken on the floor of Parliament, according to Hansard reports.
In a new report that focuses on the period between September 2017 and December 2018, 45 MPs made less than 10 contributions in the plenary despite each one of them having drawn at least Sh16 million in salaries and allowances over that period.
Some of the MPs are seldom seen in Parliament, so much that orderlies often harass them, mistaking them for strangers.
The “silent” MPs are Justus Kizito (ODM, Shinyalu), Oscar Sudi (Jubilee, Kapsaret) James Wamacukuru (Jubilee, Kabete), Alfred Sambu (ANC, Webuye East), Joshua Adama (ODM, Nyakach), Samuel Arama (Jubilee, Nakuru West), Alex Kosgey (Jubilee, Emgwen) and Charles Kamuren (Jubilee, Baringo South). However, Mr Kamuren came late into Parliament after he was elected in a by-election conducted on August 2018.
CONTRIBUTIONS
Five Woman Representatives have also never uttered a word on the floor of the House. These are Anab Mohamed (Garissa), Lilian Tomitom (West Pokot), Irene Kasalu (Kitui), Jane Wanjuki (Embu) and Jane Chebaibai (Elgeyo Marakwet).
Other poor contributors are Safia Sheikh (Marsabit), Amina Hassan (Mandera), Lydia Mizighi (Taita Taveta), Jerusha Momanyi (Nyamira) and Mombasa’s Asha Mohamed who have spoken less than eight times.
MPs who had spoken only five times during the period are Gabriel Mukuha (Githunguri), Shadrack Mose (Kitutu Masaba), John Paul Mwirigi (Igembe South) and Annie Wanjiku (Gatundu North). Samuel Kinuthia (Subukia), Gabriel Tongoyo (Narok West), Patrick Kimani (Thika Town) and Mercy Gakuya (Kasarani) made only four contributions.
Beatrice Kones (Bomet East), Alfred Agoi (Sabatia), Moses Kuria (Gatundu South), Abdi Mude (Lafey), Charles Gimose (Vihiga) and James Lusweti (Kabuchai) have spoken three times while Lemanken Aramat (Narok East), Mathias Nyamabe (Kuria East), Daniel Wanyama (Webuye West), Lokiru Ali (Turkana East) and Ken Okoth (Kibra) only rose twice to speak.
Mr Okoth has been unwell and away in hospital for the better part of the 12th Parliament. Makadara’s George Aladwa and James Mwangi of Tetu have only made one statement on the floor.
SILENT MPs
Senators who rarely speak:
In the Senate, Lamu’s Anwar Loitiptip, Philip Mpaayei (Kajiado), Prengei Victor (nominated), Falhada Dekow (nominated), Christine Gona (nominated), Millicent Omanga (nominated), Mercy Chebeni (nominated), Abdullahi Ibrahim (Wajir), Issa Juma Boy (Kwale) and Gideon Moi (Baringo) rank last in the number of times that they have articulated issues in the House.
“Some of these silent MPs in the House are the most vocal politicians outside,” Caroline Gaita, the Executive Director for Mzalendo Trust, told the Sunday Nation. Mzalendo Trust, which operates the website www.mzalendo.com, is a parliamentary monitoring organisation that has been releasing a scorecard highlighting the performance of MPs since 2014.
According to the organisation’s first scorecard for the 12th Parliament, “ten Members of the National Assembly did not speak at all by December 2018, 96 spoke less than 20 times while three spoke less than 20 times in the Senate. Of the 47 women representatives, 15 also spoke less than 20 times while five did not speak at all.”