Kenya: Election Fever as MPs Skip Parliament to Campaign Ahead of August Polls

Nairobi — The pressure of preparations ahead of the August 9 General Election is taking its toll on MPs, with many now skipping plenary sessions to go up-country and campaign for re-election.

Deputy Speaker Moses Cheboi was forced to adjourn the Wednesday morning sitting due to a lack of quorum.

Cheboi called the Session to order shortly after 9.30 am but was forced to call it off at 9.50 am

This is after the Whips failed to raise the required quorum of fifty MPs required to transact business.

Cheboi ordered for the quorum bell to be rang for 10 minutes.

He ordered for the bell to be rang for another five minutes but the required number could still not be achieved.

"Order MPs, I have given 10 minutes that we ask members from wherever they are to come to Chamber. We at this time have 39 of us and we have the two Whips, waiting to come in, so even if they were to come in we would be 41 so what that means is that we don't have quorum even after having given an extra 5 minutes. So Honorable MPs, I will do what is necessary," the Deputy Speaker said as he rose to communicate the adjournment of the House till 2.30 pm.