Standing Committees
Vihiga County Assembly Standing Committees Comprises of:
- Appointments Committee.
The Appointments committee is established in accordance to the dictates of standing Order no.185. That;- The Committee on Appointments is appointed by the County Assembly and consists of the Speaker as a Chairperson, the Leader of the Majority Party, the Leader of the Minority party and not more than three other Members nominated by the County Assembly Business Committee, on the basis of proportional Party Membership in the County Assembly taking into consideration the numerical strength of the Parties and interests of Independent Members.
- The Committee on Appointments is appointed within seven days on assembly of a new County Assembly and serves for period of three years and that appointed thereafter shall serve for the remainder of the term of the County Assembly
- In the absence of the Speaker, the Committee shall elect a member, from amongst its members to chair the meeting.
- The Committee on Appointments shall consider, for approval by the County Assembly, appointments under Articles 179(2) (Members of County Executive Committees).
- Budget and Appropriations Committee
The Budget and Appropriation Committee is established in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order no.187. That;
There shall be a select Committee to be known as the County Budget and Appropriations Committee.
The Committee consists of a chairperson, and not more than eight other Members.
The functions of the Committee are to-- Investigate, inquire into and report on all matters related to coordination, control and monitoring of the of the county budget,
- Discuss and review the estimates and make recommendations to the County Assembly; examine the County Budget Policy Statement presented to the County Assembly;
- Examine Bills related to the national budget, including Appropriations Bills; and evaluate tax estimates, economic and budgetary policies and programmes with direct budget outlays.
- The County Budget and Appropriations Committee constituted by the County Assembly immediately following the general election shall serve for a period of three calendar years and that constituted thereafter shall serve for the remainder of the County Assembly term.
- Committee on Implementation
The Committee on Implementation is established under the Standing Order no.189.
The Committee on Implementation Scrutinizes the resolutions of the County Assembly (including adopted committee reports), petitions and the undertakings given by the County Executive Committee and examine –- whether or not such decisions and undertakings have been implemented and where implemented, the extent to which they have been implemented; and whether such implementation has taken place within the minimum time necessary; and
- whether or not legislation passed by the County Assembly has been operationalized and where operationalized, the extent to which such operationalization has taken place within the minimum time necessary.
- The Committee may propose to the County Assembly, sanctions against any member of the County Executive Committee who fails to report to the relevant select Committee on implementation status without justifiable reasons.
- Committee on Delegated Legislation.
The committee is established pursuant to standing order no.190 of Vihiga County Assembly Standing Orders.
The committee scrutinizes any statutory instrument submitted to the County Assembly pursuant the Constitution, any law or the Standing Orders.
The Committee considers in respect of any statutory instrument whether it-- Is in accord with the provisions of the Constitution, the Act pursuant to which it is made or other relevant written law;
- Infringes on fundamental rights and freedoms of the public;
- Contains a matter which in the opinion of the Committee should more properly be dealt with in an Act of the County Assembly;
- Contains imposition of taxation;
- Directly or indirectly bars the jurisdiction of the Courts;
- Gives retrospective effect to any of the provisions in respect of which the Constitution or the Act does not expressly give any such power;
- Involves expenditure from the County Revenue Fund or other public revenues;
- Is defective in its drafting or for any reason the form or purport of the statutory instrument calls for any elucidation;
- Appears to make some unusual or unexpected use of the powers conferred by the Constitution or the Act pursuant to which it is made;
- Appears to have had unjustifiable delay in its publication or laying before County Assembly;
- Makes rights , liberties or obligations unduly dependent upon non-reviewable decisions;
- Makes rights , liberties or obligations unduly dependent insufficiently defined administrative powers;
- Inappropriately delegates legislative powers;
- Imposes a fine, imprisonment or other penalty without express authority having been provided for in the enabling legislation;
- Appears for any reason to infringe on the rule of law;
- Inadequately subjects the exercise of legislative power to County Assembly scrutiny
- Public Accounts and Investments Committee
The Public Accounts and Investments Committee is established pursuant to Standing Order no. 186 of the Vihiga County Assembly Standing Orders.The County Public Investments and Accounts Committee is responsible
for-- The examination of the accounts showing the appropriations of the sum voted by the County Assembly to meet the public expenditure and of such other accounts laid before the County Assembly as the Committee may think fit.
- The examination of the reports, accounts and workings of the county public investments;
- The examination, in the context of the autonomy and efficiency of the county public investments, whether the affairs of the county public investments, are being managed in accordance with sound financial or business principles and prudent commercial practices:The County Public Accounts Committee consists of a chairperson and not more than four other Members.
The County Public Accounts Committee constituted immediately following the general election serves for a period of three calendar years and that constituted there after shall serve for the remainder of the County Assembly term.
- Committee on Powers and Privileges.
Inquiries into any alleged breach of the code of conduct by any member of the Assembly