The Senate Standing Committee on Roads, Transport, and Housing has summoned Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano to appear before it on August 4 after she failed to attend a scheduled meeting on the redevelopment of the Bomas International Convention Complex (BICC).

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

The summons was issued by Migori senator Eddy Oketch, who is the chair of the committee, on Thursday, July 23.

According to Oketch, the committee resolved to issue a formal summons after rejecting Miano's request to reschedule the meeting.

The Senator insisted that parliamentary invitations must be honoured and that Cabinet Secretaries are accountable to Parliament.

📌 What You Need to Know

"I think that the only way we can have a good conversation is if we issue summons. Then she will understand the weight of this matter before the committee and the concerns that we intend to address," Oketch stated.

The CS had been expected to brief senators on the status of the BICC redevelopment project, including contract variations, approvals, planning processes and reports related to the project.

However, she failed to appear before the committee and instead sent a letter to the house stating that the issues she was supposed to clarify had already been addressed.

Senators dismissed the explanation, arguing that it was not the responsibility of a witness to determine whether the information provided to Parliament was sufficient.

"It is not the duty of a witness to decide whether the information presented is adequate or not, because that's what the CS is trying to imply, that she has provided enough information, and so we should not call her," stated Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang, who is also a member of the committee.

The committee is seeking further clarification on the Ksh42 billion Bomas International Convention Complex redevelopment project , with senators expected to scrutinise procurement processes, contract variations and approvals when the Cabinet Secretary appears on August 4.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke