Nairobi, Kenya: Rival coalition leaders in the National Assembly exchanged harsh words Monday as the rift over the stewardship of watchdog committees grew even wider.
The latest bout of accusations was sparked by a claim that MPs allied to CORD who sat in the last Parliament plotted an amendment of Standing Orders in January in the mistaken belief that their presidential candidate would win the election.
A senior leader in the House said the alleged plan would have seen CORD to form government and lock out the opposition from all the committees, including watchdog teams they are now laying claim to.
Leader of Majority in National Assembly Aden Duale reminded the CORD MPs that the Standing Orders were a creation of the last parliament and the key opposition figures took part in their drafting and endorsement.
But Deputy Minority Leader Jakoyo Midiwo (ODM) and Tongaren MP David Eseli (Ford-Kenya), who were in the last Parliament, denied claims that the Standing Orders were passed by the last Parliament under former Speaker Kenneth Marende (ODM) in the belief that the CORD would emerge victorious to deny Jubilee chance to control PIC and PAC.
Midiwo said that those making the claims were not in touch with reality and did not understand how Parliament operates.
“Whoever is making such wild claims can only be described as naïve, irrelevant and petty,” Midiwo told The Standard Monday evening.
Eseli said the claim was mere speculations since all MPs in the last Parliament should be held responsible for the anomalies.
Inconsistencies
“The amended Standing Orders currently in use were tabled at the tail end of the last Parliament when MPs were busy with nominations. It was passed by a few MPs who did not scrutinise it properly, thus the inconsistencies it has,” Eseli said.
Duale dared the CORD members to initiate a move to change the Standing Orders instead of “making noise for the sake of it” over the membership of the committees.
Suba MP John Mbadi said the Standing Orders are designed to help Parliament to conduct its business but if they are interfering with what the MPs are supposed to do, then they should be amended.
Mbadi insisted that the chairmanship of PAC and PIC should be given to the opposition adding that the issue will be discussed in today’s meeting by CORD MPs at Panafric hotel.
The CORD Parliamentary Group meeting is expected to explore options to force a concession and push for an amendment to the House Rules.
“We can forget the standing orders for now because as its stands the document needs to be refined,” Mbadi told journalists at Parliament Buildings. Mbadi added, “In any civilised democracy, such committees are chaired by the Opposition. Chest thumping will not do us any favours,” he stated.
Factional exchanges
In a further sign of the factional exchanges that are bound to characterise business in the House today, Duale said Jubilee would take back the three slots that it had voluntarily ceded to CORD.
“The only goodwill we are extending to them based on precedent and practice is the position of the chairperson of PIC and PAC. Let us follow the Standing Orders,” Duale told journalists Monday.
He threatened that should CORD fail to submit their list of members to the committees by Wednesday, then Jubilee would go ahead and elect a chairperson to the committee.
“ Jubilee has 18 members in the committees and the quorum required for business to be transacted is nine members. Even without members from CORD we can go ahead and elect the chairperson,” Duale said.
Duale said even in the Budget and Appropriations Committee, which has 51 members, Jubilee Alliance had 31 members and the CORD had slots for 19 members.
Clerk of the National Assembly Justin Bundi said he had not received any list of names from the CORD or Jubilee Alliance despite a directive last Thursday by Speaker Justin Muturi to ensure they table the list of members to various committees in the House this afternoon.
Bundi noted only four committees out of a total of 28 committees were established. Earlier, CORD insiders said they would refuse to table their list of representatives to various committees in protest.
“More than ever before, we have seen the need for the opposition to
have former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and former Vice President
Kalonzo Musyoka in Parliament so they can provide leadership to their
troops,” Duale said.
Stalemate
Embakasi North MP James Gakuya said the stalemate would not only affect government business but operations at the constituencies.
“In the last Parliament, only one member was in the opposition. The rest were in government. Who was checking the government then?” Gakuya posed.
“It is not in dispute that the chairmanship of PAC and PIC will go to CORD, but what should be harmonised is the composition of the members to sit in the two key oversight committees,” Nyatike legislator Omondi Anyanga told The Standard Monday.
Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri said that the Jubilee had been generous enough to give the opposition the opportunity to chair the PIC and PAC committees and it could not cede more ground.
Bomet Central MP Ronald Tonui said parliamentary rules were clear on the membership of the committees and election of the chairperson and as such there should be no dispute.
Stalemate
Embakasi North MP James Gakuya said the stalemate would not only affect government business but operations at the constituencies.
“In the last Parliament, only one member was in the opposition. The rest were in government. Who was checking the government then?” Gakuya posed.
“It is not in dispute that the chairmanship of PAC and PIC will go to CORD, but what should be harmonised is the composition of the members to sit in the two key oversight committees,” Nyatike legislator Omondi Anyanga told The Standard Monday.
Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri said that the Jubilee had been generous enough to give the opposition the opportunity to chair the PIC and PAC committees and it could not cede more ground.
Bomet Central MP Ronald Tonui said parliamentary rules were clear on the membership of the committees and election of the chairperson and as such there should be no dispute.
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