ODM row stalls Parliamentary business

The power politics in the coalition government played out in Parliament Wednesday morning after Members of Parliament disagreed over membership of the crucial House Business Committee.

The morning proceedings ended prematurely after only 30 minutes of acrimonious debate over who should sit in the 21-member committee that sets the House agenda.

Party whips had the previous night (Tuesday night) revised nominees to the committee to serve in the Fourth Session of Parliament.

While the PNU list remained unchanged, ODM reconstituted membership replacing three MPs among them Agriculture Minister William Ruto.

Mr Ruto, a deputy party leader, was replaced by ODM chairman Henry Kosgey (Industrialisation minister) while Medical Services Minister Anyang’ Nyong’o took the place of ODM’s party leader, Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Prof Nyong’o is ODM’s Secretary general. Nyaribari Chache MP Robert Monda was also replaced by Bonchari MP Charles Onyancha.

Mr Ruto has recently been criticised by his party for appearing to show allegiance to its coalition rival, the Party of National Unity (PNU).

Parliament adjourned to the afternoon after a motion establishing the crucial committee was withdrawn to allow the political parties to consult.

Flawed

With the exception of Lands assistant minister Bifwoli Wakoli and at first ODM whip Jakoyo Midiwo, nearly all the other MPs present reckoned that the 21-member list presented to the House was flawed.

Chepalungu MP Isaac Ruto drew the first blood saying ODM’s parliamentary group had “never met or discussed” the nominees to the HBC. Attempts by his whip, Mr Midiwo, accusing Mr Ruto of perennial absenteeism from the party’s meetings were countered by Chachu Ganya (ODM, North Horr) who said the party had not met to discuss the names.

Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim, chairing, said the party problems had nothing to do with the chair, but apparently MPs were determined to reject the nominees.

Assistant minister Peter Munya, a PNU MP, also said his party had not agreed on the nominees: “A few individuals consult and totally ignore the rest of the members of that party.”

“It sees that these people have not learnt that democracy is important,” Mr Munya said amid foot-thumping in the House.

Another assistant minister Aden Duale was also up in arms saying “parties don’t belong to individuals or the whips.”

However, Mr Wakoli, in his lonely push to have the tabled names endorsed, said the MPs were being dishonest as it is they who had chosen the party leaders and if they weren’t confident in the decisions the leaders made, then they ought to choose others.

Impunity

“It will be very bad if we are going to bring our party differences on the floor of the House,” Mr Wakoli said.

But this did not stop Imenti Central MP Gitobu Imanyara from asking the Grand Coalition Government's joint whips – George Thuo and Jakoyo Midiwo — to indicate the parties which had nominated members to the HBC.

“This is impunity… just because they got away with it (the list) the last time, they won’t get away with it this time round,” said Mr Imanyara.

This is in an apparent reference to the acrimony that has rocked the HBC formation in the past.

Mutito MP Kiema Kilonzo said MPs “refuse to be used as rubberstamps” and thus opposed the motion.

Igembe South MP Mithika Linturi, also the Kanu party whip, said his party had not been consulted.

“Our leaders must demonstrate their resolve to push for democracy,” he said. “It is very surprising when I find names here when our PG has never met.”

He alluded to “political party dictatorship” for the choice of nominees to House.

Mr Thuo said the House has to “show direction” to the principals and asked that the motion be withdrawn. but Turkana Central MP Ekwee Ethuro said.

Reported by NJERI RUGENE, ALPHONCE SHIUNDU and CAROLINE WAFULA