THE HANSARD ASSOCIATION OF KENYA CONFERENCE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The Hansard Association of Kenya wishes to thank the following for their continued support towards the realization of the dream which was conceived early in 2014; namely,

1. The Senate Board of Management (SBoM) headed by the Clerk of the Senate and Secretary to the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC); Mr. Jeremiah Nyegenye, CBS, for their continued support to Hansard staff working in Kenyan legislatures.

2. The Hansard Editor of the Senate, Ms. Gladys Ndeda

3. The Hansard Editor of the Kenya National Assembly, Ms. Anne Wambui Njoroge

4. The Society of Clerks at-the-Table (SOCATT(K) BACKGROUND The idea of establishing the Hansard Association of Kenya was mooted during a training workshop for Hansard staff at the Centre for Parliamentary Studies and Training(CPST) at its headquarters in Karen. The process was guided by the CPST Programmes Co-ordinator; Ms. Linet Misati, and an interim Committee to steer the activities of the Association was elected. It was felt that most in the county assemblies did not recognize the importance of the Hansard Department and there was need to engage them using the Association. The following officers were elected as interim officials of the Hansard Association of Kenya with the mandate of nurturing the dream of an association and reaching out to many county assemblies 1. The Clerk of the Senate; Mr. Jeremiah Nyegenye was proposed to be the patron in absentia. The decision was to be communicated to him by the Interim Organizing Secretary.

2. Mr. Leonard Wekesa - Trans Nzoia - Interim Chairperson

3. Ms. Zipporah Koroti - Baringo - Interim Secretary

4. Ms. Agnes Wambui - Nakuru - Treasurer

5. Mr. Charles Ondigi - Senate - Organizing Secretary

6. Ms. Milkah Righa – Taita-Taveta

7. Mr. Herman Njuguna, Machakos When the Clerk of the Senate and Secretary to the Parliamentary Service Commission(PSC) was consulted over the matter, he directed that a meeting be convened to discuss about the formation of the Association. The message was communicated to all staff working in the Hansard departments of Kenyan legislatures and a meeting was held in Nakuru County in 2014. The meeting was attended by 13 counties and two officers from the Senate, namely; Mr. Charles Ondigi Gwako and Miss Anastacia Mbeba (Now seconded to EALA). The meeting resolved that there be established an association for Hansard staff working in Kenyan legislatures and that it be referred to as the Hansard Association of Kenya (HAK). The meeting also resolved that the above interim Committee should continue with its work until elections were held. The interim Committee continued to run the activities of the Association until 2016 when the inaugural Conference was held in Mombasa. It should be pointed out that the interim committee met hostility from clerks to county assemblies who thought that we were forming a trade union which they deemed to be a threat to their authority. The mandate of the interim committee was again renewed for a further one year to prepare for the Second Annual Hansard Association of Kenya Conference. Their mandate lapsed in January, 2017 when the current Executive Committee was elected. During the Second Annual Hansard Association of Kenya Conference, as pointed elsewhere in this Report, the following members were elected to run the affairs of the Association for a period of two years as per the Constitution:

(a) Mr. Denis Waswa - President (Bungoma County Assembly)

(b) Mr. Charles Ondigi - Organizing Secretary (The Senate)

(c) Ms. Zipporah Koroti - Secretary (Baringo)

(d) Ms. Louisa Kamau - Vice Secretary (Machakos)

(e)Ms. Agnes Wambui - Treasurer(Nakuru) It should be noted that I continued to engage in silent diplomacy with the clerks to county assemblies whenever I got an opportunity to engage them particularly in SOCATT(K) meetings. I literally begged for audience from the organizers of the workshops. I remember being given just 5 minutes to pass the message and I utilized the opportunity to bring the message home. I also took advantage of the fact that some of the clerks were my colleagues at the National Parliament and I had also interviewed them during the suitability interviews at the Public Service Commission as they were transiting to county assemblies. Indeed, the clerks of county assemblies are great friends to the Hansard fraternity and are supportive to them in terms of training opportunities and procurement of equipment based on availability of funds.

OBJECTIVES OF THE HANSARD ASSOCIATION OF KENYA (HAK)

1. Afford members of the Hansard Association of Kenya an opportunity to constantly engage and network in order to be up to speed with knowledge and best practices in our operations.

2. Embrace modern technology in the Hansard production process.

3. Enhance the capacity of staff to effectively play their roles in strengthening the capacity of Members to make laws through provision of timely and accurate verbatim reports of the proceedings of the House and its Committees.

4. Equip Hansard Editors and Reporters with the requisite knowledge and skills to produce accurate or authoritative reports of the proceedings of the House and its committees.

5. Develop Hansard Guide/Manual for Hansard editorial staff.

6. Equip Hansard staff with necessary skills to better deal with complex issues involved in Hansard production process e.g. House style/format, application of procedures using Hansard Manual, etc.

7. Provide harmonious working relationship with other departments within the Assemblies e.g. Clerks Chambers, L & P, CSAA.

8. Participation in activities of CHEA (Africa Region) and CHEA (International).

9. Provide a forum for Hansard Officers working in the Assemblies to share experiences with their counterparts from the National Parliament and the East African Parliaments; Uganda, Tanzania, among others.

10. Election of office bearers.

11. Adoption of draft Constitution of the Association, the Hansard Policy and the Code of Conduct.

PREPARATIONS FOR THE INAUGURAL CONFERENCE

This Senate Board of Management (SBoM) in its sitting resolved that a preparatory committee be constituted to plan for the inaugural Hansard Association of Kenya Conference:

1. Mr. Charles Ondigi Gwako - Deputy Hansard Editor, Senate (Chairperson)

2. Mr. George Wanyoko - Senior Assistant Hansard Editor, Senate

3. Ms. Dorcas Ambuto - Principal Public Communications Officer

4. Ms. Farhya Ibrahim - Senior Serjeant-at-Arms

5. Dr. Christine Sagini - Research Officer

6. Mr. Geoffrey Wafula - Hansard Reporter

7. Ms. Joyce Aluoch - Clerk Assistant (RIP)

8. Ms. Carolyne Cheruiyot - Legal Counsel

9. Ms. Resian Ndilai - Hansard Reporter

10. Mr. Frank Mutulu - Media Relations Officer

11. Ms. Lillian Osundwa - Clerk Assistant

12. Mr. Fredrick Werimo - Hansard Reporter (Secretary)

PAST EVENTS

Inaugural Hansard Association of Kenya Conference The Inaugural Hansard Association of Kenya Conference was held between 19th and 22nd January, 2016 at Pangoni Beach Resort, Mombasa, Kenya. The theme of the Conference was “Visioning the Future”. The delegates were taken through various presentations which were made by eminent Kenyans among them the Clerk of the Senate; Mr. Jeremiah Nyegenye, CBS; the then Director of Legal Services, Senate (Ms. Eunice Gichangi), the late Prof. Okoth Okombo, among others. Participants The Inaugural Conference was attended by 75 delegates from county assemblies and the National Parliament. Key Output of the Inaugural Hansard Association of Kenya Conference The delegates resolved that;

1. County Assemblies should develop their own Hansard Style and Procedural Manual for plenary and committees

2. Staff at the county assemblies should identify their training needs and be accorded the opportunity to go for training to improve their skills.

3. There is need to employ adequate staff for Hansard Departments in the county assemblies

4. County Assemblies to procure Hansard production equipment for staff.

5. Provide office space to staff

6. Sensitize MCAs on the importance of the Hansard reports and encourage them to read their contributions.

7. Enhance benchmarking visits to the Senate and National Assembly

8. Formation of the Hansard Association of Kenya to air issues affecting officers in the various legislatures

9. Hansard reporters and editors should be firm when doing their work.

10. MCAs should be trained on parliamentary etiquette, communications and protocol

11. Strengthening of linkages between county assemblies and the National Parliament to enhance sharing of information between the two institutions.

The Second Annual Hansard Association of Kenya Conference The Second Annual Hansard Association of Kenya Conference was held between 18th and 21st January, 2018 at Lake Naivasha Simba Lodge, Nakuru County, Kenya. The Second Annual Hansard Association of Kenya Conference was held with the aim of reviewing the progress made after the Inaugural Conference.

Key Output of the Second Annual Hansard Association of Kenya Conference The delegates attending the Second Annual Hansard Association of Kenya Conference resolved that;

(a) There is need to incorporate Kenyan Sign Language in the legislatures and while conducting training

(b) Consider training using Kiswahili for the sake of those who do not understand English Language well. (c) There is need to train officers on how to keep records

(d) Prepare adequately for the next Conference

(e) Uphold integrity while doing your work

(f) Understand the whole legislative cycle

(g) Invest in training of county assembly staff

(h) Strengthen linkages between the county assemblies, county governments and the National Parliament.

(i) Encourage MCAs to broaden their view about the legislative roles of the county assemblies

(j) Embrace teamwork in Hansard production processes.

(k) Corporate with development partners

(l) Develop performance appraisal tool for staff working in county assesmblies

(m) Offer regular tailormade training programmes for Hansard staff

(n) Hold regular departmental meetings to review the work of the previous week

(o) Hold inter-departmental meetings to create synergies

(p) The Hansard Association of Kenya Conference shall be held on an annual basis at a place/venue to be determined during the preceding Conference.

ESTABLISHMENT OF CLUSTERS

The following clusters were established and encouraged to convene regional workshops prior to the next conference: 1.North Rift: Turkana, West Pokot, Trans Nzoia, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Uasin Gishu and Nandi counties.

2. Central Rift: Nakuru, Baringo, Laikipia and Samburu counties.

3. South Rift: Kericho, Narok and Bomet counties

4. Former Western: Kakamega, Vihiga, Busia and Bungoma counties.

5. Nyanza: Siaya, Kisumu City, Homa Bay, Migori, Kisii and Nyamira counties.

6. Former Central Province: Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Nyeri and Murang’a counties.

7. Upper Eastern: Marsabit, Isiolo, Meru, Tharaka-Nithi and Embu counties.

8. Lower Eastern: Kajiado, Machakos, Makueni and Kitui counties.

9. North Coast: Lamu, Tana River and Kilifi.

10. South Coast: Kwale, Mombasa, and Taita-Taveta counties.

11. North Eastern: Garissa, Wajir and Mandera counties

12. Nairobi: Nairobi City County, the Senate and Kenya National Assembly Out of the 12 clusters, only Lower Eastern Cluster held their workshop early this year at Lamada Hotel, Nairobi.