The Post-Election Seminar for members of the National Assembly kicked off at the Pride Inn Paradise Hotel in Mombasa, with calls on lawmakers to nurture parliamentary democracy and entrench themselves as the vanguards of the welfare of the people, in between elections.
Addressing the delegates during the opening session, the Secretary General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Karim Ulla Akbar Khan said the National Assembly has a role in setting an example for other arms of government by promoting accountability, gender equality and inclusion of all including those living with disability.
"As independent institutions sitting at the centre of a web of accountability reaching into the executive and the other branches of government, to the public and political parties, you are well placed to set an example and lead change by mirroring gender equality and inclusion of all sections of our societies in their composition,” he advised.
Khan also spoke to the matter on the need for the respect for the separation of powers as a tenet of good governance.
Speaking on the same matter, the Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia acknowledged that though there exists challenges in this regard well within the Zambian jurisdiction.
"There is need to uphold that respect for the separation of powers, as it contributes greatly not only to good governance, but also to safeguarding the welfare of the nation," he said on Monday.
On his part, the Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi amplified the essence of the seminar in helping develop capacity for the members so as to effectively undertake their mandate in regards to representation, the role of budget making, oversight and in law making.
He noted that the forum had drawn participation from diverse parliamentary jurisdictions within the Commonwealth of Nations, who share similarities with Kenya in the parliamentary traditions that have over time shaped Kenya's practices and procedures in our respective legislatures.
“I most sincerely appreciate the great individuals from these jurisdictions among them, the Republic of Zambia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia who have graced this Post-Election Seminar. Equally, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) of the United States of America are well represented at this Seminar,” he noted.