National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah has warned that misinformation and disinformation risk overshadowing the progress made by Parliament.
Speaking during the 3rd Leadership Retreat in Mombasa, Ichung’wah highlighted the House’s productivity in the Fourth Session. He said the National Assembly held 79 sittings, processed 65 Bills, introduced 157 Motions, presented 116 Questions to Cabinet Secretaries, requested 296 Statements, considered 53 statutory instruments, laid 2,302 Papers, and deliberated on 148 Committee Reports.
“Despite the milestones achieved by the National Assembly, this is usually undermined by misinformation and disinformation,” Ichung’wah said. “Even with the statistics that I have just read, if the public is not involved and correctly informed on the business of the House, our work would be in vain.”
He cited the controversial Finance Bill, 2024, as an example of how false narratives can derail legislation. “You will recall the fate of the Finance Bill, 2024, which provisions were later passed through the Tax Laws. Disinformation largely led to the loss of the Bill and the public uproar, despite the Bill having some progressive provisions that were intended to, among other things, boost local manufacturing and promote economic growth,” he noted.
The Majority Leader stressed the need for Parliament to work closely with both mainstream and digital media to counter falsehoods. “We must work very closely with both mainstream media and digital media to ensure the timely dissemination of factual information to the public,” he said.
Ichung’wah further urged lawmakers to maintain focus and energy in fulfilling the Assembly’s vision. “We must keep the momentum, keep the focus, keep the vision, and maintain action into vision,” he told the retreat.
He also emphasized the importance of a clear communication strategy. “When we do not offer timely dissemination of information as a House, the public perceives what is out there — which is often wrong and incomplete information — as the truth. Effective communication remains central to building trust and credibility with the public, and this, moving forward, we must handle carefully and intentionally,” he concluded.
Deputy Speaker Gladys Boss also praised the performance of National Assembly Committees, describing them as the “engine room of Parliament.”
She noted that Committees held 2,115 sittings in the period under review — 820 by Audit, Appropriations and General-Purpose Committees and 1,295 by Departmental Committees.
“In oversight alone, Committees reviewed 648 reports of the Auditor-General, cutting down legacy backlogs and strengthening follow-up on audit queries,” she said, adding that Committees also carried out 47 inspection visits to monitor use of budgeted resources and policy implementation.
Boss revealed that the Committee on Appointments vetted 26 Cabinet Secretaries and one Attorney-General, while Departmental Committees vetted 65 nominees to key offices including the Inspector-General of Police, IEBC, IPOA, NGEC, and NPSC.
The House also considered 11 international treaties and agreements, adopting eight to align Kenya’s obligations with national interests.
“The Committee on Delegated Legislation scrutinized 83 Statutory Instruments and 21 draft instruments, providing necessary legality and proportionality checks on subsidiary legislation,” she added.
On fiscal matters, Boss said Parliament processed the 2025/26 Budget Policy Statement, the Medium-Term Debt Management Strategy, and Supplementary Estimates II, with departmental committees enriching the larger appropriations process.
“Leadership is not about motions and reports. It is about whether citizens can feel the impact of our work,” Boss said.
She further commended MPs for their role in passing the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which entrenches the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), the Senate Oversight Fund, and the National Government Affirmative Action Fund.
“The passage of the Bill is a significant achievement for the House. Public consultations nationwide demonstrated overwhelming support, reinforcing our dedication to equitable resource sharing and devolution in practice,” she said.
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