Kazi kwa Vijana debate puts House on the spot over its watchdog role

The effectiveness of Parliament as a watchdog of the Executive is on the spot following Wednesday’s face-off by MPs supporting Prime Minister Raila Odinga and those perceived to be his opponents.

Political pundits are now saying a minister accused of financial impropriety will either stand or fall depending on the number or strength of the MPs supporting him.

The debate on Wednesday focused on an alleged scam in the Prime Minister’s Office involving Kazi kwa Vijana funds. (READ: Raila on the spot over youth funds)

In the past, former Trade minister Amos Kimunya was forced to step aside over the sale of the Grand Regency Hotel, which the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) said was not above board. (READ: I was betrayed over hotel sale, says Kimunya)

Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetang’ula was early this year hounded out of office and was in the cold for eight months before he returned under questionable circumstances. (READ: Kenya minister steps aside over saga)

Put a spirited fight

While Eldoret North MP William Ruto put a spirited fight in 2009 to ward off accusations over involvement in the maize scandal, he was last July shown the door as his former political ally-turned-bitter foe, Mr Odinga, sought to clean his troubled ODM house. (READ: Ruto moved as Raila cracks whip in ODM)

But political analyst Herbert Kerre does not see anything wrong in the way the debate on Wednesday went, insisting that Parliament is a body of politicians with partisan interests.

“It is normal for politicians to take sides based on which side of the politics they are in. However, what is important is a professional House team like the Parliamentary Accounts Committee to dig deeper into the root and examine all documents,” said the journalism lecturer.

Youth Affairs assistant minister Kabando wa Kabando was worried that partisan posturing was ruining the oversight role of Parliament.

“Is it in order for a member of the backbench, who has no responsibility in government, to rise and interrogate another backbencher, who is interrogating the Prime Minister?

“I think we need to rein in sycophancy that is derailing the debate, the sycophants are known and they are standing,” he said.

In an interview on Thursday, he said: “Terribly, their blatant partisan posturing is ruinous to the key role of Parliament as a check to the Executive.

“We in the Youth ministry bore the brunt of questions, including from those who loudly blocked interrogation of the PM. But the truth does not die. Kenyans will soon know the bitter truth.”

Senior counsel Paul Muite concurred with Mr Kabando, saying “the virus of excesses, abuse of power and corruption of the Executive has now hit Parliament” and that the same scrutiny should be turned on the legislature as well.

“Parliament is now the epicentre of the vices previously domiciled in the Executive and something ought to be done about it,” said Mr Muite.

But Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba differed, saying that it was unfair to make a blanket accusation on lawmakers as a “pack of bloodhounds or mindless sycophants”.

“I would rather we look at this issue case by case. Where Parliament has been presented with facts, we have done our best and the Tenth Parliament has delivered.

“But in the same vein, where it has been a case of political witch-hunt like in the case of the maize scandal targeting Mr Ruto and now in the case of the PM it has divided the House,” said Mr Namwamba.

He said in the cases where ministers have stepped aside, parliamentary committees are the ones that made recommendations.

“Look at the case of Kimunya. It was about tangible things. Was the hotel sold? Yes. Was the deal under the table? Yes. But you cannot say the same of the so-called maize scandal or KKV (Kazi kwa Vijana) case where no money was lost,” he said.

“Indeed, had this thing not been about witch-hunt, the World Bank report which explained that the report was leaked and that they were doing internal investigations with a view to punishing the culprit should have been enough to settle the matter,” he said.

While insisting that the Wednesday question was driven by malice, the director of communications in the Prime Minister’s Office, Mr Dennis Onyango, said that Parliament was facing an integrity crisis.

“If the chairman of the Parliamentary Accounts Committee, which is really the conscience of the nation in matters of integrity, can come to the floor of the House with a document touching on the first phase of the KKV when the issue at hand was the Kenya Youth Empowerment Programme, and even go ahead to selectively name people in the wrong document, then who will get it right?” asked Mr Onyango.

But PAC chairman Boni Khalwale insisted that his oversight role was beyond reproach. “I am consistent. I went against the grain by demanding that Wetang’ula and Local Government minister Musalia Mudavadi, who both come from my community, resign following the scandals touching on their dockets,” he said.

Mr Khalwale said that he would pursue the matter until every cent was accounted for because the matter at hand was “not necessarily in quantum terms, but a matter of principle”.

Cherangany MP Joshua Kutuny blamed the nature of debate in the House on 2012 politics, which he said was shaping up.

Chickening out

“You saw even former fierce anti-corruption crusaders chickening out because it is about political interests and not the merit of issues,” said Mr Kutuny.

While appearing to point an accusing finger at the Speaker, Mr Kutuny said most members who had documents to confront the PM with were not accorded the opportunity.

He also took a swipe at the committees, saying that they were not doing their critical functions well.

“Apart from the committee on Local Authorities and the one on Defence and Foreign Relations, the others are sleeping on their jobs,” he said.

Former Subukia MP Koigi wa Wamwere said the campaign mood was quite evident during the debate.

“In such a mood you support your party and your community and you say to hell with the nation. It is very worrying,” he said.