Kenyan Parliament To Get Internet Services

By Allan Rotich Posted 06 April 2006 @ 11:42 am EET     Print     Reprint     E-Mail     Comments

Nairobi (IBTimes.com) - Members of Parliament will soon get Internet and other information technology facilities.Deputy speaker David Musila on Wednesday said MPs would soon be provided with Internet services in a scheme meant to modernise Parliament.

He said MPs seeking information from the service were forced to go to public cyber cafes where such services were provided.

Musila was speaking at Parliament buildings when he received a donation of books worth Sh153,000 from the Kenya section of the International Commission of Jurists. ICJ-Kenya chairman, Wilfred Nderitu, handed the 53 books to Musila.

Nderitu said the books would assist them in their work, especially in relation to human rights. He said the aim was to equip MPs with resources that could help them appreciate human rights issues.

He said ICJ would conduct an audit on MPs' performance, based on reports in the Hansard, to find out how they appreciate human rights issues.

Musila said Parliament was expanding its library.

"Our library is very inadequate. It cannot be compared with other Parliamentary libraries. We want to expand it so that it can conform to the needs of the members," he said.

He said the current library was started in 1910 and had about 6,000 titles, which, he said, needed to be increased.

He said a well-equipped library would improve the quality of contributions in the House, as members would be able to access information.

Musila said a research department had been established to assist MPs prepare contributions in the House.

ICJ-Kenya executive director Samuel Mbithi said there was need to build capacity among parliamentarians so that they can appreciate human rights issues.

He said MPs should have capacity to make good laws.