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State officers or any person who fails to honour a parliamentary committee without any justifiable reason will be fined Sh2 million besides arrests and arraignment if an amendment bill is passed.

The Powers and Privileges (Amendment) Bill, 2023 sponsored by Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi seeks to compel State officers to honour the summons.

The bill also seeks to amend section 19 of the principal Act to increase from the current Sh500,000 to Sh2million.

“The Bill also enhances the fine that is payable to the House or House Committee by a person who fails to appear upon being summoned to Sh2 million from Sh500,000,” the Bill reads in part.

It further adds that a witness shall be given an opportunity to be heard prior to the imposition of the fine.
“The fine imposed in subsection (1) shall be a civil debt recoverable summarily in accord,” the Bill reads in part.

The bill which is pending introduction in the house for first reading also seeks to provide that individuals who fail to appear will be arrested and arraigned or produced before the House or relevant committee of parliament.

“The relevant House or its committee may require a person to appear before it within a shorter period of time as it may determine taking into account the urgency of the matter before the House or Committee,” the Bill states.

Some governors, national government officers state officers have failed to honour invites and summons by house committees.

Former governors Alfred Mutua, Charity Ngilu and Mwangi Waria are among the Governors who have been fined Sh500,000 as provided for under the current law for failing to honour summons.