Introduction

The Directorate is composed of two Departments namely, Committees and Procedural Services and the Parliament Budget Office. The Department of Committees and Procedural Services provides procedural and administrative support services to Committees of Parliament to ensure efficient and effective discharge of their oversight mandate.  The Parliament Budget Office provides independent, objective and expert analysis of national budgets, fiscal and monetary policies in supporting the financial oversight of Parliament and its Committees.

 

The Directorate is headed by the Deputy Clerk who is assisted by the Assistant Clerk responsible for Committees and Procedural Services and the Director for the Parliament Budget Office. The Assistant Clerk is in charge of Committee Clerks who serve on various Committees while the Director Parliament Budget Office is in charge of Economists, Accountants and financial analysts who advise Parliament and its Committees in respect of the financial business of Parliament. The services provided to Members by the Departments under the Directorate are outlined below.

  

DEPARTMENT OF COMMITTEES AND PROCEDURAL SERVICES

 

Mandate

The Department of Committees and Procedural Services provides procedural, administrative and analytical support services to Parliament and its Portfolio, Thematic and any other Ad Hoc Committees appointed from time to time. Currently, there are 30 Committees which consists of 21 Portfolio Committees, one Public Accounts Committee in the National Assembly and eight Thematic Committees in the Senate. Each Committee is served by a Committee Clerk. The ideal situation, is for each Committee to have a dedicated Committee Clerk. However due to staff shortages, a few Committee Clerks serve two Committees.

 

Role of Committee Clerks

The Committee Clerks, under the general direction of the Clerk of Parliament, assisted by the Deputy and Assistant Clerks, are generally responsible for the management of Committee business. The support services entail planning for Committee meetings, field/ verification visits, public hearings and capacity building initiatives among other things. In specific terms Committee Clerks are responsible for the following:

 

  • Assist the Committee in formulating a sessional workplan which serves as a guide for the business of the Committee.
  • Organise Committee meetings in consultation with the Chairperson of the Committee. This involves preparing the agenda of the meeting, notifying Hon. Members of the agenda, date, time, and venue of the meeting.
  • Manage the Committee’s communication with Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government and other stakeholders.
  • Organise public hearings, verification visits, capacity building programmes, study visits and any other Committee activities which involve travelling outside the precincts of Parliament.
  • Brief the Chairperson on the business of the day and results of any follow-ups.
  • Provide procedural advice during Committee meetings and ensuring that the general conduct of Committee business is in conformity with the Standing Orders, traditions and practices of Parliament and legislation.
  • Take and draft Minutes of the Committee meetings.
  • Report circumstances of no quorum and any unusual occurrences to the Administration of Parliament.
  • Submit returns to the Accounts Department at the conclusion of Committee meetings to facilitate for the payment of fuel and applicable allowances.
  • Facilitate the attendance of the public, media, and stakeholders in Committee meetings.
  • Assist the Committee in drafting its reports at the conclusion of every enquiry and facilitating the tabling of such reports in the respective House.