Khalwale kicked out of House teams

Jubilee Wednesday kicked out United Democratic Forum member Boni Khalwale from two House committees for failure to toe the alliance line in the Senate.

Dr Khalwale, the Kakamega Senator, was accused of failing to back Jubilee’s activities, a requirement for all partners.

Senators voted to replace Dr Khalwale in the key Finance, Commerce and Economic Affairs committee, which he had intended to chair, and from the team on Implementation, which will ensure resolutions of the House are carried out by the Executive.

He was replaced by Majority Chief Whip Beatrice Elachi in Finance and by Ali Abdi Gure of Tana River in Implementation.

The resolution was arrived at after a lengthy and heated debate that started in the morning and continued after a break to allow the senators to attend the funeral service of Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo, who will be buried today(Thursday).

The motion was the first controversial issue in the Senate and was vigorously resisted by opposition senators led by Minority Leader Moses Wetang’ula, who said the move would set a bad precedent.

The vote, in which the senators grouped along party lines, was decided through a physical count with those backing Dr Khalwale’s replacement carrying the day with 30 votes against 16.

Cord senators Omar Hassan Omar (Mombasa, Wiper), Stewart Madzayo (Kilifi, ODM) and David Musila (Mwingi Wiper) and Jubilee’s John Lonyangapuo (Kanu) abstained.

Majority Leader Kithure Kindiki, who moved the motion, accused the outspoken Senator of working against Jubilee’s interests. He singled Dr Khalwale’s move to propose his Siaya County colleague James Orengo and Ms Daisy Nyongesa of Cord as chairperson and deputy of the  committee on Implementation against Jubilee’s G.G. Kariuki (TNA).

Prof Kindiki, the Tharaka Nithi senator (TNA), said Jubilee was determined to instill party discipline in the House in line with the Political Parties Act, the Constitution and agreements signed between the ruling coalition and its partners.

However, the Kakamega Senator said the rules of debate in the House do not allow one to move a motion based on media reports. Dr Khalwale said UDF had no post-election agreement with Jubilee, declaring they “only agreed to cooperate”, which does not compel him to toe the line.

But Prof Kindiki insisted Dr Khalwale no longer represented Jubilee’s interests and must be removed, sentiments backed by Deputy Speaker Kembi Gitura.Mr Wetang’ula dismissed the motion as “cheeky and dangerous” which would “entrench a culture of intolerance”.

Earlier, Speaker Ekwee Ethuro had ruled that the Finance committee, which is yet to pick its chairperson, meets Thursday. Twice, the nine-member team failed to decide between Mandera’s Kerrow Billow (URP) and Dr Khalwale. The vote was a tie and Kisumu Senator Anyang’ Nyong’o who would have broken the impasse is abroad.