NAIROBI, Kenya Jan 27 – National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has cautioned Members of Parliament against what he described as a growing culture of intimidating and over-summoning heads of public institutions, warning that excessive committee invitations risk paralysing government operations and undermining service delivery.
Speaking during a parliamentary retreat, Wetang’ula said while oversight is a constitutional responsibility of the House, it must be exercised in a manner that is strategic, coordinated and free from undue pressure on public officers.
“My attention has been drawn to a peculiar and concerning trend where heads of institutions are repeatedly summoned by multiple committees over the same matter, especially when there is a pending employment process,” the Speaker said.
He cited cases involving the Inspector-General of Police and the Teachers Service Commission, who he said had at times been subjected to several summons on similar issues, with complaints subsequently being escalated to his office.
Wetang’ula warned that such practices create the perception of harassment and can lead to administrative paralysis in key institutions, calling on committees to improve coordination, avoid duplication of work and ensure that oversight strengthens, rather than disrupts, governance.
While reaffirming Parliament’s watchdog role, the Speaker urged MPs to adopt more efficient oversight tools, including the use of written submissions, targeted summons and prioritisation of agencies with serious audit concerns.
He particularly directed audit committees the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Public Investments Committee (PIC) to complete scrutiny of the Auditor-General’s reports within the constitutional three-month timeline provided under Article 229(8).
“To comply with the Constitution, committees must work judiciously and expeditiously, refrain from inviting agencies with clean accounts, reduce repeated rescheduling of meetings, and reprimand institutions that fail to appear,” he said.
Wetang’ula also questioned the value of summoning small learning institutions with modest budgets where no audit issues have been flagged, saying Parliament should instead focus on systemic problems by engaging the Auditor-General and relevant ministries.
“It makes little sense to deploy disproportionate resources to examine the accounts of every village secondary school or small TVET institution when no financial queries have been raised,” he said.
The Speaker said some of the 44 committees in the current Parliament were yet to fully utilise their broad mandates, singling out the National Cohesion and Equal Opportunities Committee for focusing narrowly on recruitment issues while neglecting wider concerns such as marginalisation, ethnic harmony and equal access to opportunities.
Wetang’ula urged MPs to focus not only on figures in the Estimates but also on the underlying policy implications, warning that cuts to counterpart funding could jeopardise development projects and lead to loss of donor support.
He further cautioned that delays by PAC in examining county accounts could result in reduced allocations to counties, noting that the Budget Policy Statement setting expenditure ceilings is due by February 15, 2026.
The Speaker also reported progress on security upgrades within Parliament, including installation of an Integrated Security Management System and continued training of MPs’ bodyguards, while urging Members carrying firearms to undertake refresher safety training.
Wetang’ula said the Post-Service Medical Scheme for MPs was now fully operational, with Members making monthly contributions, describing it as a major step in safeguarding legislators’ welfare after leaving office.
On legislation, he urged MPs to push for the speedy passage of the Kenya Roads (Amendment) Bill, 2025, currently before the Senate, warning that delays could affect financing of road infrastructure following a court decision that invalidated key provisions of roads laws.
He also reminded MPs to comply with the Conflict of Interest Act, 2025, which requires regular declaration of income, assets and liabilities, revealing that only about 60 per cent of Members had so far submitted their wealth declaration forms.
