NAIROBI, Kenya Sept 30 – Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi has halted the Parliamentary Education Committee from considering a petition filed by parents seeking to scrap the implementation of the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) over a pending court case.
Muturi said he had established that the petition before the House by Nominated MP William Sossion was likely to prejudice the outcome of a case pending in court on the CBC implementation. It was filed by Esther Angawa.
“It is my considered view that, contrary to the provisions of Standing Order 223(g), the petition presented by Honourable Sossion on the 23rd of September on behalf of parents and education stakeholders seeking the scrapping of the CBC failed to disclose that it contains matters that are pending in Court. It will therefore be impossible at this time for the House or the Committees to deliberate on all of the prayers contained in the petition without touching on the petition presented before Court,” Speaker Muturi informed MPs during Thursday’s Sitting.
The House Speaker said his ruling was influenced by the fact that the case pending before Court does not appear to be a ‘frivolous or a dilatory attempt intended to stifle any business proposed or under consideration before the National Assembly.’
Sossion, who is the former Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary-General had sought to have state officers who have been championing the implementation of the curriculum prosecuted for messing up the education system which he claims was poorly planned and hastily introduced in schools without taking into consideration the country’s resource constraints.
But Muturi threw Sossion a life line after he advised him to revive the matter in case he finds that the Courts are unnecessarily prolonging its determination.
“It is worthy to note that the door is not entirely closed to the Honourable Member in seeking to resolve this matter. In the event, circumstances arise indicating that an inordinate delay of the matter, the Member is at liberty to raise the matter for reconsideration by the Speaker,” he noted.
He further encouraged MPs to exercise their legislative authority to resolve the matter which is of interest and grave concern to the people.
“Additionally, any Member is at liberty to propose legislation prescribing the specific type of education he/she would like to apply to the country or to require by Parliament of any policy decision made by the Executive in that regard,” the House Speaker added.
MPs Otiende Amolo (Rarieda), Peter Kaluma (Homa Bay Town) and Gitonga Murugara (Tharaka) welcomed the Speaker’s guidance but said that Judiciary should reciprocate the gesture by restraining itself from interfering with their role as lawmakers.
“I am worried if we continue ceding that much, we will be disturbed. This is the House of Representatives, we have more parents here, why should we wait for somebody calling herself a single parent to appear before a Judge instead of solving a critical education policy before this House at once,” Kaluma noted.
Amolo expressed concern that the Judiciary might use Muturi’s ruling on sub judice as an avenue to start intruding on Parliament’s mandate.
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