MPs want more Uhuru ministers kicked out

Majority Leader Aden Duale Monday failed to convince MPs to withdraw an impending censure motion which has now been broadened to include two Cabinet Secretaries.

Information Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i is the new target of MPs who have refused to withdraw an intended Motion against his Cabinet colleague, Ms Anne Waiguru.

Igembe South MP Mithika Linturi, who is heading the campaign to have Ms Waiguru sacked, met Mr Duale but later said he saw no reason to drop his Motion. Instead, he claimed that about 200 MPs supported his Motion and that they will meet at the Panafric Hotel in Nairobi, today to deliberate on how to deal with the Motion once it is tabled.

Approve Motion
Mr Linturi said he and other MPs were waiting for the House Business Committee to approve the Motion today after which they will table it any time from now.

“It is difficult for Mr Duale and his colleagues to silence us. This motion is not about Linturi; it is owned by 200 MPs who have signed a petition and have refused to withdraw it,” the MP said.

Mr Duale on his part said he was still reaching out to more MPs who were in support of the Motion before making public the outcome of his lobbying.

“I am still holding consultations with members,” he said by phone. He said he had met Mr Linturi and his fellow legislators to discuss the Motion targeting Ms Waiguru.

The effort to remove Dr Matiang’i is spearheaded by the MP for Samburu West, Mr Lati Lelelit and was launched on Friday.

MPs claimed that by Saturday, Mr Lelelit had collected more than 100 signatures from MPs who want Dr Matiang’i sacked. They accuse him of calling them names during a function he presided over in Kisii County last week.

“Yes, I can confirm we are doing that but I am still collecting the signatures. I do not want to give a lot of details but as MPs we will be meeting today to talk about how to take the process forward,” Mr Lelelit said by phone.

Mr Linturi also confirmed the move against Dr Matiang’i.

MPs did not seem to have a problem with Dr Matiang’i’s performance. The effort to have him sacked appeared based purely on the allegation that he called them names.

On Ms Waiguru, an MP who sought anonymity said she may be unlucky because the Motion against her is likely to come up for debate at a time when the top leaders in the Jubilee Coalition are busy formulating a strategy to counter the clamour for national dialogue that has gained momentum with the return of Cord leader Raila Odinga. The coalition’s leaders, the MP argued, might not have enough time to lobby MPs hard enough.

Mr Linturi, who belongs to the Jubilee Coalition, has defied pressure to drop the motion with the latest coming on Saturday during the wedding of Buuri MP Boniface Kinoti Gatobu when his colleagues from Meru County asked him to assure President Uhuru Kenyatta, who was present, that he would not pursue the removal of the minister.

Mr Linturi said he needed to first consult the MPs who had signed the petition.

Ms Waiguru also received support from four of her colleagues in the Cabinet led by Dr Matiang’i who issued a statement saying they would not be diverted from their responsibilities by such censure Motions.

Deputy President William Ruto has also weighed in on the matter, publicly daring MPs planning to sack the minister to instead confront him and President Kenyatta. He said that the presidency took full responsibility for appointments and transfers in government.

The grumbling over Ms Waiguru was started by MPs from the Rift Valley who accused her of unprocedurally transferring former National Youth Service director-general Kiplimo Rugut to the Sports Ministry and replacing him with former State House comptroller Nelson Githinji.

Dr  Matiang’i Monday said on phone that he had been alerted on Thursday that Mr Lelelit was collecting signatures  in Parliament with a view to table a Motion to impeach him for  utterances he  is accused of making during the school function on Friday.

“Two MPs  forwarded to me a message alerting me that the MP whom I have not even met was  collecting signatures  with a view to file the Motion. That was a  day before the school function yet  I am accused of uttering the offensive words at the school function,” he said.

He revealed that he  had been told he had been targeted alongside Ms Waiguru and Transport CS  Michael Kamau.

“I did not utter the words I am being accused of. I am  told they have no case against me but want to impeach me with my colleagues  for sport,” Dr Matiang’i said.

Reported by Isaac Ongiri, Patrick Nzioka and Bernard Namunane