MPs dismiss senator's motion to impeach President Kenyatta
Nyamira Senator Mong’are Bw’okong’o. Jubilee MPs have dismissed his motion seeking to impeach President Uhuru Kenyatta. FILE PHOTO | SALATON NJAU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Prof Kindiki said Mr Okong’o had a right to seek the President’s removal from office but his reasons were flimsy.
- Starehe MP Maina Kamanda and his Dagoretti South counterpart Dennis Waweru also dismissed Mr Okong’o.
- Mr Okong’o says the President must take responsibility for lives lost as a result of the ongoing doctors’ strike, now in its 36th day.
Jubilee lawmakers on Monday dismissed plans by Nyamira Senator Mong’are Okong’o to impeach the President.
Barely a day after the senator said 10 MPs were willing to table the motion in Parliament, the legislators on Monday told Mr Okong’o to stop “demeaning the presidency”.
“Getting one lawmaker who is ready to waste Parliament’s time with such a motion is a tall order,” said Senate Majority Leader, Kithure Kindiki.
Prof Kindiki said Mr Okong’o had a right to seek the President’s removal from office but his reasons were flimsy.
“He is just seeking publicity to enhance his misplaced presidential ambitions. Saying the President has not tried to resolve the doctors’ strike is a lie,” said Prof Kindiki.
Starehe MP Maina Kamanda and his Dagoretti South counterpart Dennis Waweru also dismissed Mr Okong’o.
The senator is a joker and a day dreamer. What has he done in the Senate to think he can remove the President?” asked Mr Kamanda.
SEEK VOTES
“If you want to be president, seek votes,” he added.
Mr Waweru said Mr Okong’o’s campaign was futile.
“He is a desperate politician looking for publicity,” he said.
Mr Okong’o says the President must take responsibility for lives lost as a result of the ongoing doctors’ strike, now in its 36th day.
The lawmaker said the Constitution guarantees Kenyans the right to affordable healthcare and “it is a shame that the President is doing little to end the suffering”.
The Nyamira senator said some people, especially those with cancer and other diseases that required constant monitoring, could not afford services in private hospitals.
He added that as commander-in-chief, Mr Kenyatta had failed to account for soldiers lost in Somalia and is yet to present a report to Parliament on the Westgate and Garissa terrorist attacks.
