Speaker Anita Among has said that Parliament will start publishing the attendance of Members of Parliament and ministers as part of the accountability to the constituents.
In her communication to the House on Tuesday, Among said that the legislators’ attendance will now be monitored using biometrics as a way of improving their participation and performance.
“We are ensuring the implementation of biometric finger logins, and next week, we will publish the attendance and performance of the previous session,” stated Among.
The Speaker emphasized that this transparency initiative serves as a standard measure of performance and a tool to ensure MPs’ accountability to their constituents.
“We are here to be accountable to the people we represent; we should be answerable for our actions in this House,” Among asserted.
She further revealed that the biometrics system will also track attendance during committee meetings, which play a crucial role in Parliament’s functioning.
Reiterating her call from the 2023 State-of-the-Nation Address and Budget Day, Among urged MPs to remain mindful of the limited time left for the 11th Parliament to fulfil its promises.
“As we embark on this Third session, I want to remind you all that we have only two years left to work towards achieving a people-centred Parliament. We must also focus on fulfilling our commitments to return to this House,” Among emphasized.
The attendance of ministers and MPs has long been a concern, both among the public and some legislators. It has occasionally resulted in disruptions of House proceedings due to the absence of sector ministers required to address reports or statements.
