Senate Speaker Amason Kingi urged senators to take strong action against Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi for skipping a planned meeting with the Senate. Kingi told lawmakers to file a censure motion against Mbadi for failing to show up, saying this behavior was not only disrespectful but also unacceptable coming from a senior government official.
This call came after Mbadi sent a late apology, informing the Senate that he would not be able to attend, without giving a clear reason. The Speaker pointed out that the letter did not explain why Mbadi would miss the session and described the apology as contemptuous.
Kingi told the senators that they had the power to hold such Cabinet Secretaries accountable. He referred to Standing Order 51(D), which allows the Senate to initiate a censure motion when a Cabinet Secretary fails to appear without a valid reason.
Kingi said the Senate must act to protect its dignity and show that it cannot be ignored by those in power. His message was clear: ignoring the Senate should not be tolerated, especially by people who are expected to serve the public and work with Parliament in a respectful way.
Several senators supported Kingi’s position and openly criticized Mbadi. Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna expressed anger over the fact that Mbadi had time to attend a late-night television interview but could not find time to appear before the Senate. Sifuna called it the highest level of disrespect.
Bungoma Senator Boni Khalwale, Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua, Bungoma’s Wafula Wakoli, and Isiolo’s Fatuma Dullo all joined in condemning the Treasury CS’s actions. Wambua, in particular, was upset that Mbadi, who once served as a Member of Parliament, would choose to snub the Senate. He said Mbadi should have known better and that his behavior showed deep contempt for the House.
This is not the first time that Cabinet Secretaries have failed to attend Senate sessions. Last year, Tourism CS Rebecca Miano and Environment CS Deborah Barasa were also criticized for missing scheduled appearances and even faced censure motions. Senators now feel that this pattern is becoming a serious problem.
Speaker Kingi’s message was that unless action is taken, such behavior will continue and the Senate will continue to lose respect in the eyes of the public. The call for a censure motion is not just about Mbadi, but about reminding all Cabinet Secretaries that they are answerable to the people through Parliament.
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