According to available sources of news, eyebrows have been raised on actions of Members of Parliament (MPs) sitting on the Health Committee in Parliament.
The controversy stems from a decision by the MPs to lock journalists out of a session where Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale was appearing.
The CS was scheduled to respond to crucial issues concerning the newly established Social Health Authority (SHA).
This move reported by People Daily has been interpreted by many as an attempt by the lawmakers to shield the Cabinet Secretary from public scrutiny.
The incident has proven the lengths to which some legislators may be willing to go to protect ministers, thereby limiting transparency in governance.
Critics have openly questioned the motive behind barring the media, who play a vital role in keeping the public informed.
A section of legislators have been accused of locking committee meetings to either extort Cabinet Secretaries or deliberately hide the truth from Kenyans.
Such actions have the potential to erode public trust in parliamentary oversight bodies.
Many believe that, in the spirit of accountability, the proceedings of such critical sessions, especially those involving top government officials like CS Duale, should have been open to the press.
The public has a right to know how their representatives and ministers are addressing pressing matters related to health and the new SHA.
The MPs’ actions have created an atmosphere of suspicion regarding the integrity of the committee’s proceedings.
It remains to be seen whether the relevant authorities will take action to address this lack of transparency.
By Nairobi