Senate mulls Standing Orders review to adopt virtual sittings » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 19 – The Senate Business Committee will in the next two weeks submit proposed amendments to the Standing Orders which will allow the Senate to sit virtually for the first time.

Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka said a hybrid arrangement will see 29 MPs participate in proceedings using video conference service Zoom, while up to 28 remain in the Chamber under physical distancing rules.

Parliament is also in the process of searching for a venue that can accommodate the all the 67 Senators.

“The option of finding a larger venue that can accommodate all Senators without the need for designation of only some Senators to attend the Plenary continues to be pursued and, if adopted, the need for these innovations and adjustments may cease,” Senate Speaker ruled.

Indeed, the Senate Business Committee has requested the Procedure and Rules Committee to consider the various dynamics that have been brought forth by the Covid-19 situation and to make proposals for possible amendments of the Senate Standing Orders, including provision for virtual sittings of the Plenary,” he said

Lusaka said the Senate was looking for the other online measures similar to those applied by the European Union and the House of Congress to allow members make deliberations through email.

” In jurisdictions where virtual sittings have been adopted, for instance, new meaning has been given to the term “present”. For instance, for the first time in the EU Parliament’s sixty-two year history, in the month of March, Members who usually vote by raising their hands in plenary or by pushing a button on their desks, voted by email from their home countries. We are no exception,” the Senate Speaker stated.

Senate Leaders Samuel Poghisio and James Orengo led Senators Moses Kajwang, Abshiro Halake and Sam Ongeri welcomed the proposals saying that Parliament must adopt new innovations to carry out its representation, legislative and oversight mandate.