The Clerk of the National Assembly serves as the chief administrative officer, responsible for managing the daily operations and overall affairs of the National Assembly.
Article 128 of the Kenyan constitution provides for the position of a Clerk for each House of Parliament, appointed by the Parliamentary Service Commission with the approval of the relevant House.
A Clerk of the House of Parliament is appointed by the Parliament Service Commission for a term of five years and is eligible for reappointment for one additional term of five years.
Additionally, the Clerk plays different roles in the National Assembly that can be categorized both in administrative and managerial duties in the National Assembly.
Samuel Njoroge is the Clerk of the National Assembly. Njoroge became the 7th Clerk of the National Assembly in 2002.
Managerial Roles of the National Assembly Clerk
The Clerk plays the role of advising the Speaker in the running of the House and keeps custody of the records and documents of the National Assembly.
In addition, he helps in preparing and publishing the order of business for each sitting day as approved by the House Business Committee.
They are also charged with the role of certifying a Bill upon passage after the Third Reading and conveying resolutions of the House to relevant Ministries and agencies.
The work of the clerk is to record the decisions and proceedings of the House in a daily publication such as Votes and Proceedings
In addition, clerks assist with ceremonial occasions, such as the opening of the House and State of the Nation Address by the President.
Presiding over a New House
At the beginning of a new Parliament, he presides over the House and administers oaths and affirmation of office to newly elected Members as the first order of business.
Thereafter, the Clerk presides and conduct the election of the Speaker. The clerks perform the following before the election of the Speaker;
- Notify by notice in the Gazette the vacancy in the Office of the Speaker and invite interested persons to submit their nomination papers for election to the Office of the Speaker.
- Prepares ballot papers upon which shall be shown the names of all nominated candidates.
- He or She shall preside over the election process
- The clerk shall keep custody of the ballot papers for six months
- Administer the Oath or Affirmation of Office to the Speaker in the presence of members of the National assembly.
Clerk of the House as an Accounting Officer
The Clerk is the authorized officer in terms of the financial expenditure of the National Assembly, hence the Accounting Officer.
They are responsible for the financial management and operations of the National Assembly Service.
Moreover, they are responsible for preparing and submitting to the Parliamentary Service Commission the budgetary and financial programmes necessary to facilitate the National Assembly to discharge its mandate.
Also Read: Susan Kihika’s Absence: What a Deputy Governor Cannot Do as Per Kenyan Law
Administrative Roles
The clerk manages the staff of the National Assembly, advising the Parliamentary Service Commission and implementing Commission resolutions on all matters relating to appointment, promotion and discipline of staff.
Further, they assign duties to the staff, providing supervision and training, and deployment of staff to serve in any other area in the National Assembly.
In addition, he oversees the implementation of the PSC Strategic Plan within the National Assembly Service to ensure the progressive realization of the strategic objectives contained in the Strategic Plan.
The clerk is the Chairperson of the National Assembly Board of Management as well as a Co-Chair of the Board of Senior Management.
They also coordinate external relations and official interactions with other arms of government such as ministries, departments, and agencies, Constitutional Commissions and Independent Offices, international parliamentary institutions, citizens and interest groups, and the public.
Also Read: National Assembly Announces Vetting Dates for Kabogo, Mutahi Kagwe Other Nominees
Qualifications
For anyone to qualify for the position, they must meet the following requirements;
- Be Kenyan Citizen.
- Hold a degree from a recognized university in Kenya.
- Have at least ten years’ experience in senior management and leadership position in public affairs.
- Demonstrate fair and a good understanding of parliamentary practice and procedure.
- Meet the requirements of Chapter 6 of the Constitution on leadership and integrity.
Why a Clerk of National Assembly can be Removed from Office
The following are reasons that can lead to the removal of a clerk from the office;
- Inability to perform the functions of the office, whether arising from infirmity of body or mind, gross misconduct or misbehavior, or incompetence.
- If declared bankrupt or found to have violated the provisions of the constitution or any other written law.
Salary & Benefits
A Clerk earns a basic salary of Ksh 390,000 with an addition of Ksh 100,000 for house allowance.
They own an official car with a salary adjustment of Ksh100,000, making Ksh 650,000 in total
Follow our WhatsApp Channel and X Account for real-time news updates.
