Only seven MPs will be allowed to travel for filed visits hearings on matters concerning the National Assembly departmental committees.
In a move to curb spending by lawmakers, Speaker Justin Muturi asked MPs to form sub-committees for undertaking such trips.
Lawmakers have been consuming millions of shilling on both foreign and local trips and the move by the speaker is seen as an attempt to contain the spending.
Muturi also directed all chairpersons of committees and staff assigned to such committees will be required to preside over meeting from the precinct of parliament.
“The chairpersons of a committee shall be physically present in the meeting room in the precincts of Parliament or at a venue approved by the Speaker for holding meetings,” the directive read.
Muturi also cautioned legislators against aiding, facilitating or permitting strangers to take part or listen in to the deliberations by the committee.
There have been moments where meetings have been disrupted by activities around the places where lawmakers log in to attend the parliamentary sessions.
For this reason, MP attending committee meetings virtually will be required to be within the precincts of the Parliament or be at their designated offices.
According to Muturi, the new guidelines follow the fact that all committee proceedings, even when conducted virtually, are covered by the parliamentary privileges and immunities.
He further directed the legislators attending meetings to dressing decently as they would do during physical meetings.
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During the last financial year, the Controller of Budget revealed that Parliament located Sh5.3 billion on local travel.
Kept off from foreign trips by the government restriction on movement following the Covid-19 pandemic, local travel has been an avenue for MPs to earn extra coin.
After taxation, MPs are paid Sh2500 per daily in per diem for local trips, since accommodation is catered for by the PSC.
In the current budget, the allocation to Parliament was reduced by Sh2.8 billion in a move to reduce more cash for the Covid-19 response.
The budget cuts are aimed at making committees more efficient.
