The past week has been a busy one for the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning which Monday, wound up phase one of public hearings on the Finance Bill, 2023. After receiving submissions and memoranda for eight-straight days from organised groups and individuals on various proposals contained on the Bill, the Committee which took a brief hiatus to conduct approval hearings and vetting for the nominee to the position of Central Bank Governor, is now scheduled to hold a Mwananchi forum on the Bill in Parliament. 

The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations chaired by Hon. Nelson Koech has seven days within which to table a report detailing the suitability of Mr. Noordin Haji for appointment to the position of  Director General, National Intelligence Service (NIS). 

During the approval hearing, Members interrogated the nominee on his academic and professional competence for the job, and also delved into questions regarding his previous performance record in Public Service.

The National Assembly Committee on Budget & Appropriations chaired by Hon. Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu)  has focused on the misappropriation of funds by State Agencies during the 2023/24 Budget Estimate scrutiny meeting with Departmental Committees on Finance and National Planning and Blue Economy, Water and Irrigation chairpersons, and the Office of the Auditor General (OAG).

In his remarks, Hon. Nyoro said that the Budget and Appropriations Committee’s role in the Budget making process is well enshrined in Section 43 of the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act, (2012).

The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning chaired by Hon. Kuria Kimani (Molo) continued receiving views on the Finance Bill (2023) from members of the public. 

The National Assembly Committee on Diaspora and Migrant Affairs chaired by Hon. Lydia Haika (Taveta County) met representatives from the Association of Skilled Migrant Agencies of Kenya (ASMAK) and the Kenya Private Employment Agencies (KAPEA) to discuss the growing concerns surrounding migrant worker issues and the unethical conduct of private recruitment agencies in the recruitment of labor migrants and the placement of students abroad.