Petition to remove Matemu creates rift in House team

What you need to know:

  • MPs allied to Jubilee are afraid of upsetting the President, who preferred to work with Mr Waqo in coming up with the list of public officers under investigation.
  • Four MPs reportedly walked out, resulting in Vice Chairman Priscilla Nyokabi adjourning the meeting as there was no majority to adopt the report.
  • The recommendations were made on the basis that despite the problems at the commission, the timing of the petition is inappropriate because of the high profile investigations taking place.

A showdown is looming in a parliamentary committee over a petition that could spell doom for anti-graft agency boss Mumo Matemu and his deputy, Ms Irene Keino.

The Justice and Legal Affairs Committee was on Wednesday given 10 more days to prepare its report on the petition filed by lawyer Geoffrey Oriaro seeking the two’s removal.

Members of the committee told the Nation that some of their colleagues were called to a meeting at State House on Wednesday and told that the President and Deputy President were of the view that the commission had to go.

SENT PACKING

While the House committee feels that Chief Executive Halakhe Waqo and his deputy Michael Mubea should also be sent packing, the Jubilee principals are reported to have said the two can be dealt with later.

MPs allied to Jubilee are afraid of upsetting the President, who preferred to work with Mr Waqo in coming up with the list of public officers under investigation.

During his State of the Nation address in late March, President Kenyatta told MPs to speed up consideration of the petition against the remaining commissioners.

The President’s intervention has strengthened the resolve of the Jubilee side, which is understood to be gearing up to overturn the committee’s tentative recommendation to throw out the petition on the basis that it does not have enough grounds for the removal of Mr Matemu and Ms Keino.

A report by the Commission on Administrative Justice could also give the MPs keen on ejecting Ms Keino more impetus.

Without a commissioner, Mr Matemu would be virtually unable to run the agency.

Last Tuesday evening, some committee members deliberately scuttled a meeting where they were set to adopt a report to throw out the petition.

Four MPs reportedly walked out, resulting in Vice Chairman Priscilla Nyokabi adjourning the meeting as there was no majority to adopt the report.

According to a draft report seen by the Nation, the main recommendation is that: “The committee observes that the petition lacks sufficient evidence and therefore no grounds to remove the commissioners on unsubstantiated claims.”

Another says: “The Commission on Administrative Justice continues with investigations on the commissioners. That the secretariat and commission work harmoniously together in unity and ensure co-operation in dispensing their mandate.”

The recommendations were made on the basis that despite the problems at the commission, the timing of the petition is inappropriate because of the high profile investigations taking place.

“The commission is (involved) in the prosecution and (is in) the midst of serious investigations of high profile cases which have (been of concern to) the people of Kenya for long. Allowing the petition at this time will derail the fight against corruption,” another recommendation reads.