MANDATES OF THE DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEES

Introduction.

Departmental Committees are established under National Assembly Standing Order 216(1); and, are mandated pursuant to Standing Order 216 (5) to :

1. investigate, inquire into, and report on all matters relating to the mandate, management, activities, administration, operations and estimates of the assigned ministries and departments; 
2. study the programme and policy objectives of Ministries and departments and the effectiveness of their implementation;
3. on a quarterly basis, monitor and report on the implementation of the national budget in respect of its mandate;
4. study and review all the legislation referred to it;
5. study, access and analyze the relative success of the Ministries and departments as measured by the results obtained as compared with their stated objectives;
6. investigate and inquire into all matters relating to the assigned Ministries and departments as they may deem necessary, and as may be referred to them by the House;
7. vet and report on all appointments where the Constitution or any law requires the National Assembly to approve, except those under Standing Order No. 204 (Committee on appointments);
8. examine treaties, agreements and conventions;
9. make reports and recommendations to the House as often as possible, including recommendation of proposed legislation;
10. consider reports of Commissions and Independent Offices submitted to the House pursuant to the provisions of Article 254 of the Constitution; and
11. examine any questions raised by Members on a matter within its mandate.

Departmental Committee (DC) Subjects.

In accordance with the Second Schedule to the Standing Orders, Departmental Committees on the following are mandated to consider the following subjects:

1. DC Administration and Internal Affairs.

Home affairs, internal security-including police services and coast guard services, public administration, immigration and citizenship.

2. DC Agriculture and Livestock.

Agriculture, livestock, food production and marketing.

3. DC Blue Economy and Irrigation.

Use and regulation of water resources, irrigation, fisheries development including promotion of aquaculture, fish farming, marine fisheries, the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth and improved livelihoods, except seaports and marine transport.

4. DC Communication, Information and Innovation.

Communication, information, media and broadcasting (except for broadcast of parliamentary proceedings), information technology, communication technology, including development and advancement of technology, data protection and privacy, cyberspace and cyber-security, artificial intelligence, block-chain technology, and other emerging technologies.

5. DC Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations.

Defence, intelligence, foreign relations, diplomatic and consular services, international boundaries including territorial waters, international relations, and veteran affairs.

6. DC Education.

Education, training, curriculum development, and research.

7. DC Energy.

Fossil fuels exploration, development, production, maintenance and distribution, nuclear energy and regulation of energy.

8. DC Environment, Forestry and Mining.

Climate change, environment management and conservation, forestry, mining and natural resources, pollution and waste management.

9. DC Finance and National Planning.

Public finance, public audit policies, monetary policies, financial institutions (excluding those in securities exchange), economy, investment policies, competition, banking, insurance, national statistics, population, revenue policies including taxation, national planning and development, digital finance, including digital currency.

10. DC Health.

Health, medical care and health insurance including universal health coverage.

11. DC Housing, Urban Planning and Public Works.

Housing, public works, urban planning, metropolitan affairs, housing development and built environment.

12. DC Justice and Legal Affairs.

Judiciary, tribunals, access to justice, public prosecutions, ethics, integrity and anti-corruption, correctional services, community service orders and witness protection, constitutional affairs, sovereign immunity, elections including referenda, human rights, political parties, the State Law Office, including, insolvency, law reform, public trusteeship, marriages and legal education.

13. DC Labour.

Labour, human capital and remuneration, trade union relations and public service.

14. DC Lands.

Matters related to lands and settlement including, land policy, land transactions, survey and mapping, land adjudication, settlement, land registration, land valuation, administration of community and public land and land information and management system.

15. DC Regional Development.

Regional development, including regional development authorities, refugee affairs, devolution, inclusive growth, arid and semi-arid areas, disaster risk management, drought, famine and disaster response, and post-disaster recovery and rehabilitation.

16. DC Social Protection.

Social welfare and security, pension matters, gender affairs, equality and affirmative action, affairs of children, youth, persons with disability and senior citizens.

17. DC Sports and Culture.

Sports, culture, language, creative economy including promotion of music, arts, film promotion and development, national heritage and betting and lotteries.

18. DC Tourism and Wildlife.

Tourism and tourism promotion and management, tourism research and wildlife management.

19. DC Trade, Industry and Cooperatives.

Trade, including securities exchange, consumer protection, pricing policies, commerce, industrialization including special economic zones, enterprise promotion and development including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), intellectual property, industrial standards, anti-counterfeit policies and co-operatives development.

20. DC Transport and Infrastructure.

Transport including non-motorized transport, construction and maintenance of roads, rails, air and marine transport, seaports and national integrated infrastructure policies and programmes and transport safety.