Members of Parliament and Senators will soon be equipped with tools to enable them monitor state-sponsored projects and programs.
These skills will enable those sitting in various committees within Parliament and the Senate to use the evidence in their policy and decision making.
While a Monitoring and Evaluation Bill has already been developed, it has remained in the draft form and has yet to reach the floor of parliament.
“Members of parliament need to research and use evidence and data in their oversight, legislative and representation roles. We also need to share information with CECs at the County level about how many kilometres of roads have been done in their area, water accessibility and health or education.
“We also need data in order to effectively oversight the executive, state departments and agencies,” said Makali Mulu, MP for Kitui Central and Chair of the Parliamentary Caucus on Evidence-informed Oversight and Decision-Making.
He made these remarks recently at Boma Hotel, Nairobi while launching the 2019-2023 strategic plan, for this informal parliamentary caucus. The PC-EIDM has been supported technically and financially by the African Institute for Development Policy.
This meeting was attended by top policy makers, including Eliud Moyi –A public policy analyst at Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis, Hon Andrew Limo, MP Kipkelion and Chairman of the Parliamentary Finance and National Planning Committee and Nominated Senator Petronila Were.
The launch was also attended by Florence Etta, Policy analyst Awuor Ponge and other members of various think tanks including ADGEN and IDEAS.
“ MPs that are in various house committees will be able to use evidence and not hearsay when they scrutinize accounts of state corporations or monitor projects undertaken by state agencies,” said Hon Mulu.
“We will be able to use evidence when holding the Executive to account for their spending, why where and for what purposes. Use of evidence and data can be one way of winning the war on official corruption in this country,” said Nominated Senator Were.
