Uhuru reads the riot act to House leaders

The National Assembly in session. President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto have fought back at the growing clout of Parliament, declaring that Cabinet secretaries should not be summoned to answer questions on the floor of the House. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

By PETER LEFTIE

• Multiple sources who attended the State House meeting said Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto were categorical that Cabinet secretaries would only appear before the departmental committees to answer questions touching on their specific dockets.
• Lands, Housing and Urban Planning Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu appeared before the committee on Tuesday, despite a statement from Chief of Staff Joseph Kinyua insisting that such summons were illegal.
• Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto said they would not sit back and watch Parliament violate the Constitution by forcing Cabinet secretaries to appear before the whole House.

President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto have fought back at the growing clout of Parliament, declaring that Cabinet secretaries should not be summoned to answer questions on the floor of the House.

The Jubilee coalition leaders summoned chairpersons of parliamentary committees to State House on Wednesday and told them that Cabinet secretaries would not honour summons to attend Question Time as demanded by MPs.

The National Assembly had changed its Standing Orders to require Cabinet secretaries to appear before a committee of all MPs, known as the Committee of General Oversight. The committee is chaired by Speaker Justin Muturi.

Lands, Housing and Urban Planning Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu appeared before the committee on Tuesday, despite a statement from Chief of Staff Joseph Kinyua insisting that such summons were illegal.

However, her Education and Interior colleagues, Jacob Kaimenyi and Joseph ole Lenku, left Parliament Buildings before they could be questioned.

CATEGORICAL

Multiple sources who attended the State House meeting said Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto were categorical that Cabinet secretaries would only appear before the departmental committees to answer questions touching on their specific dockets.

“The two principals stated with a finality that no Cabinet secretary will appear before the whole House,” said one committee chairman who requested not to be named, “They told us that they will only allow them to appear before the relevant committees as provided for in the Constitution.”

Reacting to the latest twist, Deputy Minority Leader Jakoyo Midiwo described the State House meeting as a “Jubilee affair”. According to Mr Midiwo, the meeting was used to defeat Parliament’s bid to hold Cabinet secretaries to account.

He claimed that it was easier for Cabinet secretaries to influence committees, which have few members.

“Think of what a CS can do with a small committee; it is easier to influence them with money,” he said.

Sources told the Nation that the committee chairpersons first met Mr Ruto at his Harambee Annex office at midday before heading to State House for the meeting with the President. They said the State House meeting started at 2pm and ended shortly after 7pm.

Among those at the meeting were Mr Muturi, National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale, and his deputy, Naomi Shaban, and over 20 committee chairpersons. Minority Leader Francis Nyenze and his deputy, Mr Midiwo, were not invited.

AVAILABLE TO COMMITTEES

Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto said they would not sit back and watch Parliament violate the Constitution by forcing Cabinet secretaries to appear before the whole House.

“They, however, assured us that the Cabinet secretaries will be available to the committees every Tuesday to answer any queries from MPs,” said another chairperson. He, too, requested not to be named.

Earlier in the week, the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution had threatened to move to court to stop members of the Executive arm of government from appearing before Parliament, a position supported by the Law Society of Kenya