are an important tool or organ in the legislative process; without them, a legislature’s proceedings would come to a halt due to the sheer volume of activities that would have to be examined at the plenary.
Committees are agents that allow legislatures to organize their work in such a way that multiple activities can be completed simultaneously and efficiently.
These include things like:
legislative review;
(ii) reviewing and approving the budget and expenditures for governance execution;
(iii) reviewing governance actions, policies, and programs to see if they achieve legislative, policy-making, and development-planning objectives;
(iv) conducting investigations into a variety of topics; (v) executive appointment vetting and approval; and (vi) establishing a forum for citizen participation.
Why are committees important.
Committees are an effective way for the House to do business.
![Committees In Parliament](https://www.kenyastatenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Screenshot_20220618-2058082-300x210.png)
Committees that work well help to strengthen democratic governance.
The mandates and membership of committees focus attention on specific issues and encourage serious debate.
The mandates and memberships of committees are well established.
They research a topic or range of topics and then present their findings to the House.
This allows senators to focus their efforts on a single topic, study it thoroughly, and gain a better understanding of the issue(s).
Senators’ ability to be meaningfully engaged in the nitty-gritty of a Parliament’s workings and so take ownership of its outcome is enhanced by the Committee arrangement.
Senators have more freedom to debate topics informally, are less bound by party discipline, and can create relationships with colleagues from other parties.
Select Committees are instruments that let the public participate in Parliament’s operations and give them legitimacy.
It’s a place where Senators can connect with the public and other stakeholders about Parliament’s activities.
Hearings and meetings are held by committees to allow various interest groups (academics, professionals, and individual citizens) with varying expertise to engage in the democratic process by giving their perspectives on a variety of problems.
Committees are a way for an institution to gain institutional leadership and prominence in the public eye.
Members develop knowledge over time, especially those who have served on specific committees for a long time.
The value and advantages of using committees come from the fact that they perform functions that the House is not equipped to do in its current structure, such as:
(i) calling witnesses to give oral testimony and submitting written memos or documents.
(ii) Sitting as often as desired, including sitting distant from the Senate’s precincts and for longer periods.
(iii) providing an environment that allows for the presentation of facts, the sifting of evidence, and the formulation of reasoned conclusions by statute and procedure.
(iv) conducting inspection tours and inquiries into issues, with reports and suggestions submitted to the House.
(v) establishing sub-committees to deal with various issues within the Committee’s mandate more effectively and efficiently.
Small groups of senators are more effective at carrying out these functions.
One of the numerous advantages of committees is the ability to have several of them running at the same time, allowing many issues to be dealt with simultaneously and efficiently.
Select Committees, by focusing on certain issues or subjects, provide senators and staff with the benefits of expertise.
The ability of the Legislature to delve into and deal with virtually all sectors and units of departments within the Executive by delegating these to Committees rather than dealing with them at Plenary was the indelible advantage that fueled the evolution of Select Committees.
The advantage that presidential committees have is mostly due to the system’s practice of separation of powers.
In presidential systems, committees have a stronger position in creating a less politicized environment in which members can debate legislative proposals and conduct investigations with less oversight from the executive branch.
The Concept of Ranking Members: Committee Composition in General
The majority and minority parties are represented in most committees.
The major issue is that the majority party will always have the upper hand when it comes to committee management. https://ieakenya.or.ke/blog/improving-the-efficiency-of-committees-in-kenyas-parliament-the-case-of-national-assembly/
The minority party should form a caucus in the committee under the leadership of a Senior Leader or a Ranking Minority Member.
The ranking member has the same privileges as the committee’s chairperson, including the ability to talk for extended periods.
![Committees In Parliament](https://www.kenyastatenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Screenshot_20220618-2058592-300x88.png)
Given the tight grip, political parties have over their members of parliament, it’s necessary to level the playing field in the committees.
The Minority Caucus Chairperson and Minority Leader will be elected from the minority caucus at the committee level.
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