MPs set to look into Edward Ouko ouster petition

The National Assembly’s Finance, Trade and Planning Committee is today set to hold a series of meetings as it considers a petition for the removal of Auditor-General Edward Ouko.

The committee is scheduled to hold the first meeting with Emmanuel Mwagonah, the man who submitted the petition against Mr Ouko and made a raft of allegations against him.

SKIPPED MEET

Mr Mwagonah was supposed to meet the committee chaired by Ainamoi MP Benjamin Langat last week but skipped it and instead sent a letter saying he was living in fear as his petition had created animosity.

He also asked to be allowed to make written submissions and if necessary to meet the committee in person, to make his submissions in camera.

The committee decided to ask Speaker Justin Muturi to ask Inspector-General Joseph Boinett to accord Mr Mwagonah security.

OUKO 3PM

Next to meet the committee will be President Kenyatta’s Chief of Staff and Head of Civil Service Joseph Kinyua and after him, Clerk of the National Assembly Justin Bundi.

Mr Kinyua and Mr Bundi are supposed to tell the committee whether the Auditor-General has been making the statutory reports to Parliament and the President.

Mr Ouko himself is expected to meet the committee at 3pm.

He dismissed the petition in a letter to Parliament and questioned the speed with which National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi submitted it to the committee.

INQUIRY

“The petition was received by the office of the clerk on the February 14, 2017, and the Clerk and Speaker appear to have committed it to the committee without a preliminary inquiry as to whether it merits further consideration contrary to the law and the Standing Orders,” he says in his response.

According to Mr Ouko, the petition would have been reviewed for sufficiency and legality by the clerk and subjected to an advisory committee.

He further argues that it contravenes the Petition to Parliament Act and the Standing Orders as it fails to indicate that the subject matter has been dealt with by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

OMTATAH CASE

“It is unfortunate that the National Assembly has now been dragged into a malicious and sustained campaign by a group of individuals who have previously sought the removal of the respondent from office through various complaints and which, after inquiry by relevant investigative agencies, exonerated the respondent,” he states.

On Friday, activist Okiya Omtatah lodged a suit at the High Court seeking to shield Mr Ouko from the allegations contained in the petition filed by a Nairobi lawyer Emmanuel Mwagonah.

Mr Omtatah argues Mr Ouko is a victim of a malicious campaign even though he is a diligent worker.