The Clerk

The office of Clerk of the National Assembly is provided for in Article 128 of the Constitution. The Parliamentary Schemes of Service provide that the Clerk shall be:-

• The Administrative head of the National Assembly;
• Authorized Officer for the National Assembly;
• Responsible for all policy and organizational matters relating to the National Assembly;
• Responsible in enhancing public understanding and knowledge of the work of the National Assembly and increasing public accessibility;
• Responsible in dealing with external relations including international relations, inter-parliamentary relations conferences and protocol;

The principal adviser on all Parliamentary procedures, practices, conventions and traditions to the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Deputy Speaker, other Presiding Officers and to all Honorable Members;

The Chairman, National Assembly Board of Management;

The Chief advisor to the Speaker in the exercise of all powers and functions that belong to the Speaker and through him to the House. He acts under authority and takes decisions on admissibility of notices in the name of the Speaker. Orders passed by the Clerk are the orders in the name of the Speaker and the latter accepts full responsibility for those orders;

Responsible in marshalling all legislative measures passed by the National Assembly;

The Honorary Secretary - Commonwealth Parliamentary Association – Kenya Branch

The Honorary Treasurer - Inter-Parliamentary Union – Kenya Group.

The Senior Deputy Clerk;

The Senior Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly is the principal deputy to the Clerk of the National Assembly. Besides this, the Senior Deputy Clerk also performs the following duties:-

• General supervision of all Directorates
• Promotes and oversees external relations including international, inter-parliamentary relations, conferences and protocol affairs
• Promote and enhancing public understanding and knowledge of the work of Parliament and increasing public accessibility and awareness and the operations
• Offering procedural advice to the Speaker, other Presiding officers and Senators as required and overseeing the proceedings of the House;
• Preparation and presentation of orientation programmes for newly elected Senators; and
• General management of parliamentary internship programmes.

Legislative and Procedural Services

The Director, Legislative and Procedural Services is the administrative services head for the procedure and business of the National Assembly. Duties and responsibilities for the Director include:-

• coordination and supervision of the functions and operations of the Directorate of Legislative and Procedural Services of the National Assembly; and
• responsible, to the Clerk of the National Assembly, for:
• the Table Office including marshalling of published Bills, Motions and Sessional Papers; and processing of weekly programme of Business and preparation and timely circulation of Order Papers and Votes and Proceedings of the National Assembly;
• The Journals Office including keeping custody of National Assembly Journals and records and archiving of those records;
• Matters connected to Parliamentary associations like CPA, IPU, and exchange programmes, Friendship Groups and International desks and Conferences; and
• Public Participation in Legislative process including responding to inquiries from Members, the staff, the public and other legislative bodies.

Legal Services

The Director, Legal Services is the head of legal services function in the National Assembly. The Director/Deputy Clerk is responsible to the National Assembly for this service. The Director/Deputy Clerk supervises, guides, counsels, trains and develops all legal staff and co-ordinates administration and overall management of the legal services provided to the National Assembly which includes:-

• Formulation and dissemination of legal drafting policy in the National Assembly;
• Liaison with the Director, Litigation and Compliance and the Office of the Attorney General on litigation matters involving the National Assembly;
• Supervision of all Legal Counsel in the Directorate;
• Training of all Legal Counsel in the Directorate;
• Giving of legal opinions on matters before or relating to the National Assembly and Parliament and giving legal advice on commercial matters;
• Providing any other legal services that may be required by the National Assembly, its Committees, Parliament, the Speaker or the Clerk; and
• Carrying on legal research on matters before the Directorate.

Committee Services

The Director, Committee Services is the administrative services head to all Committees of the National Assembly. The activities of the Director pertain to budgeting for Committees, Committee meetings schedule, procedural advice to Chairmen of Committees and the Liaison Committee on parliamentary procedures and practices with regard to Committee business. Duties and responsibilities for the Director, Committee Services include:-

• Coordination and supervision of the functions and operations of the Directorate of Committee Services of the National Assembly;
• Responsible for Select Committees, Departmental Committees, and Ad hoc Committees of the National Assembly;
• Facilitation of public participation and involvement in the activities of the Committees including Committees’ inquiries;
• Keeping custody of records of the National Assembly Committees and responding to inquiries on the activities of the Committees from the public and other legislative bodies.

Speakers Office

The Director, Speaker’s Office is the administrative head of the affairs of the Office of the Speaker. The Director coordinates the activities of the Speaker’s Office and closely liaises with the Speaker and the Clerk on the management of affairs of the National Assembly. The Director also serves as the link between the political office and the technical offices for the proper management and functioning of the National Assembly. Key duties and responsibilities of the Director, Speaker’s Office include:-

• Responsible for the co-ordination of administrative activities in the Speaker’s Office;
• Acting as the liaison person between the Speaker’s Office and the rest of the parliamentary offices;
• Responsible for carrying out research, preparation of speeches and overseeing travel and protocol arrangements in the Speaker’s Office; and
• Responsible for preparation and review of correspondence and reports as directed by the Speaker.

Sergent at Arms

The Chief Serjeant-at-Arms is an office in the Parliamentary Service charged with duties involving service to the Speaker, Members, the Clerk and other staff of the National Assembly and performance of chamber and ceremonial duties. The Serjeant-at-Arms also perform a number of miscellaneous security and safety duties for the general welfare of Parliament. In performing these duties the Office of Serjeant-at-Arms perform the following duties:-

• Maintain custody of the mace;
• Ensure protective security for all persons and property and advises the Speaker and the Clerk on the same;
• Perform chamber and ceremonial duties;
• Provide interdepartmental and chamber support services;
• Enforce and implement the Speaker's orders and other directives;
• Allocate office accommodation to Senators and staff and conference rooms to Committees;
• Ensure fire prevention and safety of the facilities;
• Ensure compliance with occupational health requirements/standards;
• Access control management;
• Crowd management;
• Ensure desirable housekeeping standards;
• Maintain decorum within the precincts of parliament;
• Disaster preparedness and mitigation;
• Investigating incidents;
• Coordinate parliament police;
• Disseminates relevant information to members through notice boards;
• Carries out periodical security surveys; and
• Conducts institutional risk assessment;

Hansard Editor

The Hansard Editor is an office in the Parliamentary Service responsible for the records of proceedings of the National Assembly and its Committees. The Hansard Editor is also the official archivist for the National Assembly in charge of custody of all Journals, Reports, Papers, Magazines and National Assembly Proceedings. The duties and responsibilities of the Hansard Editor include:-

• Responsible for coordination and production of the Hansard (Official Record of the National Assembly);
• Editing transcribed records, processing manuscripts, preparing accurate drafts;
• Maintaining a consistent and accurate Hansard publishing format;
• Maintaining an accurate database of Hansard publication;
• Development and maintenance of policies, rules, standards and procedures governing Hansard production;
• Maintaining links with Government Ministries/Department, the public media, and other Commonwealth Editors’ Associations and Unions.