Member of Parliament
Member of the National Assembly
Represents a constituency at the National Assembly; makes national laws and oversees the budget.
What they do
Represents the people of a constituency in the National Assembly, participates in making national legislation, and oversees the national executive and use of national revenue.
- Debates and votes on national Bills
- Approves the national budget and considers government expenditure
- Represents constituents and channels their concerns to government
- Oversees the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) in the constituency
How they're elected
- Term
- 5 years
- Term limit
- No constitutional limit on number of terms
- Elected by
- Direct election by registered voters in the constituency; one MP per constituency.
Eligibility
- Registered voter in the constituency
- Holds a post-secondary qualification recognised in Kenya
- Nominated by a political party or as an independent candidate
- At least 18 years of age
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Accountability
Accountable to constituents and to the leadership of the National Assembly; required to keep a constituency office and account for NG-CDF expenditure.
- Voter recall on grounds set out in the Elections Act
- Loss of seat for ceasing to be qualified, breaching the leadership code, or sustained absenteeism
Don't confuse this with…
How it differs from other offices
- Unlike a Senator, an MP represents a single constituency rather than the whole county.
- Unlike an MCA, an MP votes on national laws — not county laws.
Common misconceptions
- MPs do not build roads or hospitals — those are devolved to county governments. NG-CDF is a fund for limited national-government projects only.
- MPs cannot directly fire ministers; they can only vote on motions of censure or impeachment.