Cord kicks out Coast rebel from key House team
Cord leader Raila Odinga addresses a public rally at Ngala grounds to drum up support for the ODM Malindi parliamentary by-election on February 8, 2016. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
Lungalunga MP Khatib Mwashetani, who is also Ford-Kenya’s deputy party leader, became the first casualty.
Cord MPs are reported to have affirmed the decision at a parliamentary group meeting at Wiper House in Lavington, Nairobi.
Mr Mwashetani’s place in the House Business Committee was taken by the Mombasa Woman Representative, Ms Mishi Juma, of ODM.
The Opposition coalition Tuesday started dealing with rebels in its ranks by removing from a powerful parliamentary committee an MP, who has been working with Jubilee.
Lungalunga MP Khatib Mwashetani, who is also Ford-Kenya’s deputy party leader, became the first casualty.
His removal from the House Business Committee was in line with a resolution by the Opposition to discipline its MPs, who have drifted to Jubilee.
Cord MPs are reported to have affirmed the decision at a parliamentary group meeting at Wiper House in Lavington, Nairobi.
A statement after the meeting confirmed that Cord parties ODM, Wiper and Ford-Kenya had resolved to kick the “rebels” out of all the parliamentary committees.
Suna East MP Junet Mohammed confirmed the decision. “We kicked all of them out,” he told Nation.
REPLACEMENTS
Mr Mwashetani’s place in the House Business Committee was taken by the Mombasa Woman Representative, Ms Mishi Juma, of ODM.
Mr Ben Momanyi (Borabu, Wiper) and Mr Joash Olum (Langata, ODM) were replaced by Mr Chachu Ganya (North Horr, ODM) and Mr Chris Wamalwa (Kiminini, Ford-Kenya).
Mr Momanyi and Mr Olum are not perceived as rebels and had asked to be replaced.
Minority Leader Aden Duale and a handful of Jubilee MPs attempted to stoke discord in the Opposition by asking for an explanation for the replacements. “We must at all times give very good reasons because we have MPs who represent Kenyans,” Mr Duale said.
Mr Asman Kamama (Tiaty, URP) added: “Let us not use committees to settle political scores. If you have issues, sort them out at parliamentary group meetings.”
However, their attempts failed as the committee list was approved by acclamation.
Other ODM lawmakers considered rebels who could be punished are Mr Gideon Mungaro (Kilifi North), Mr Mustafa Idd (Kilifi South) and Ms Zainab Chidzuga (Kwale Woman Representative).
