MPs plot to disband powerful House team

Panic has gripped the Parliamentary Service Commission as MPs plot to have it dissolved following allegations of nepotism and incompetence.

There are also questions that the move to seek a fresh team could be informed by allegations of favouritism in the tendering and procurement process in the House, more so, regarding the Sh1 billion refurbishment of the debating chamber, which is over four months past the deadline.

Both staff and lawmakers are up in arms about what they say is the commission’s failure to address the issues that fall within its ambit, with some, accusing the commission of only looking out for specific interests of the commissioners.

PSC commissioner Olago Aluoch parried away the allegations saying that he’ll be ready to respond to all allegations as soon as he got the specific grounds for the mooted dissolution.

Mr Aluoch said that, so far,  the commission had handled its dealings “above-board”. He added that he had been in touch with the Speaker’s Office following reports about the plot to disband the commission, and that he had learned that the motion was yet to be approved.

However, Joint-Government Whip (ODM) Jakoyo Midiwo told the Nation that the MPs had complained that the PSC –the administrative arm of the National Assembly—was “quite dysfunctional” in carrying out its constitutional mandate.

The matter, he said, had even made its way to the House Business Committee, which resolved that the whips –Mr Midiwo and his alternate in PNU Johnstone Muthama—sit with the Speaker and address the simmering concerns.

“The House Business Committee had already recognised that there was a problem in the commission,” said Mr Midiwo.

On Thursday, Mr Midiwo said MPs were getting impatient and that’s why they had filed the motion to form a new team that will push for their interests as required by the Constitution.

“Most members told me that the commissioners are supposed to look at the welfare of the MPs, but instead they were only serving their specific interests (that have nothing to do with the welfare of members),” he said adding that the motion filed by Mr John Mbadi (Gwassi, ODM) was still awaiting the Speaker’s approval.

“The staff have also noted that there’s nepotism when it comes to employment and promotions”.

House Speaker Kenneth Marende and the Clerk of the National Assembly Patrick Gichohi, together with members of the Speaker’s Panel and the chairman and vice chairman of the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee are away on a study tour in Canada. Mr Marende is expected back in the country on Sunday in time for the resumption of the House sittings on Tuesday.

There are further questions about the composition of the commission in the light of the Constitution –given the gender requirement of not more than two-thirds of either gender. The commission is an exclusive male club.

But as Mr Midiwo spoke of the uneasy MPs and parliamentary staff, his PNU counterpart said the motion was unfair to the extent that it paints the current members of the commission in bad light.

“The people who are members of that commission were elected by people who are mature and clever enough. They (voters) had very clear minds when they were electing them…it is unfair to discredit them,” said Mr Muthama. “To say that the PSC lacks the capacity to carry out its functions is wrong”.

Sources at County Hall told the Nation that some commissioners have been quietly meeting to plot how to defeat the motion before it gets to the Speaker. These commissioners have quietly accused the mover of the motion, Mr Mbadi, of malice, and alleged that he was bitter that he had not been included in the team.

However, Mr Midiwo, whose job is to pick party members to House teams, said the commissioners giving that reason had no basis to make the allegations, because he’s never received such a request from Mr Mbadi.

“That just shows you the jitteriness of the commissioners. I think they have been caught with their pants down,” the ODM whip said in a phone interview with the Nation.

“At no time has Mr Mbadi come to me saying that he needs to join the committee. Those pushing that line of argument are just trying to divert attention from the issues raised. The truth is that the MPs want a few things addressed.”

Mr Muthama, had picked Mr Adan Keynan to replace the vice chairman, Mr Walter Nyambati, whose membership to the commission was revoked when he lost the Kitutu Masaba parliamentary seat.

It is understood that Mr Keynan was supposed to act until after the by-elections coming up late next month. The quiet understanding is that if Mr Nyambati is re-elected, he goes back to his position; but if he loses, then a permanent replacement will be found. ODM has a vacancy now that Mr Julius Murgor was appointed to the frontbench.