The Third Session of the National Assembly only managed to enact less than half of the 49 Bills that were introduced in the House, highlighting the underperformance of the 13th Parliament.
The 13th Parliament, now in its midlife, managed to pass 17 Bills or 34.6 percent of the total Bills compared to 26 Bills that were passed and enacted in a similar session during the 12th Parliament.
In the Second Session, the current Parliament also passed fewer laws by enacting 18 Bills compared to 34 Bills that were adopted and assented to by former President Uhuru Kenyatta in a similar period during the 12th Parliament.
Statistics released Tuesday by the Clerk of the National Assembly Samuel Njoroge indicate that 17 Bills were assented to by President William Ruto and became law during the Third Session of the 13th Parliament, which ran from mid-February, 2024, ended on December 6, 2024.
“The Third Session, and despite the challenges encountered, the National Assembly achieved the following: introduction of 49 Bills, out of which 17 were assented to, 19 Senate Bills were processed, 11 National Assembly Bills were passed and forwarded to the Senate, 7 Bills (five Senate and two National Assembly Bills) were undergoing mediation and the rest remaining under various stages of considerations,” Mr Njoroge said.
Mr Njoroge released the statistics during the opening session of the 2025 mid-term retreat for all the MPs in Naivasha, Nakuru County.
The MPs are evaluating the legislative progress achieved so far and laying a strong foundation for the remainder of the parliamentary term that is scheduled to end in August 2027.
Mr Njoroge said MPs considered 161 motions, with 38 still pending as of the end of the session.
"About 312 statements have been processed and requested or made on the floor of the House by Members and consideration and adoption of 54 committee reports," Mr Njoroge said.
He attributed the difficulties in processing of legislative agenda to the challenges encountered in the processing of the failed Finance Bill, 2024 and the time taken in consideration of impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gathagua and former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi.
Mr Njoroge said the House managed to approve 85 individuals nominated by the President to take up top State jobs— including Cabinet secretaries, principal secretaries, attorney-general, inspector-general of police, and various diplomatic officers.
He said there were more than 200 new legislative proposals that are undergoing pre-publication scrutiny and pending before the various National Assembly departmental committees.
"During the next session, the committees should prioritise consideration of these proposals to enable members to fulfill their legislative goals,” Mr Njoroge told the retreat that was officially opened by the Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang'ula.
"All eyes are on the department committees in regards to clearing with the business that is pending before them."
He said the timely reconstitution of the committees would facilitate the smooth continuity of the House business.
There are also 15 audit and appropriation committees whose terms have lapsed and will be reconstituted.
He hailed first-time MPs who have been able to push a substantive number of Bills, motions, and statements through the House.
"In the 13th Parliament, first-time Members introduced 31 out of 131 legislative proposals (23 percent) in the First Session, 80 out of 197 proposals (40 percent) in the Second Session (2023), and 22 out of 74 proposals (30 percent) in the Third Session (2024),” Mr Njoroge said.
“Overall, their contribution accounts for 35 percent of the 402 legislative proposals introduced so far. The legislative output for the first half of this Parliament is highly commendable.”
The National Assembly is set to reconvene from the long Christmas recess to start the Fourth Session on February 11, 2025.
