NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 1- Endebess Member of Parliament Robert Pukose has been elected as the Chairperson of the National Assembly Health Committee.
Pukose who was elected unanimously by the committee members will be deputised by Chuka Igambangombe MP Patrick Munene.
The Health Committee Chairman has committed to look and investigate issues facing the health sector which include rampant cases of negligence by health facilities.
“Normally the first call is to ensure the hospital gives us their audit report and look at it from a professional point of view and look how the referring facilities handle patients,” he said.
Pukose also pledged to conclude on various reports touching on health sector that were unfinished in the 12th Parliament.
Last week, lawmakers were appointed to the departmental and select committee in the house by the select committee chaired by Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wa.
Ichung’wa while moving the motion mentioned that they fell short in ensuring that they accommodate MPs in the committees which they had shown interest to sit.
“This is one of the most divisive exercise in Parliament because its always not possible to please everyone in the house,” he stated.
“For example, in the Transport committee we had 79 members who sought to be considered in the majority side yet we had only 8 slots for them. Minority had 79 members and we had only 7 slots for them,” Ichung’wa added.
Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi while supporting the motion termed the appointment of lawmakers to committees as a hectic process given the huge interest by MPs to sit in the Roads and Transport committee and the one on Budget and Appropriation.
“The demand for certain committees was enormous and we might need to ventilate on this matter. What is it in the Transport and Budget committee? This is a discussion we need to have so that next time we don’t have a commotion,” said Wandayi.
