Muturi blamed for debate chaos

MPs have challenged the Speaker of the National Assembly and Majority Leader to consult more to avoid chaotic debates.

The legislators cited the chaos in the House on Wednesday evening, when the Speaker postponed debate because of anarchy.

Thursday morning’s sitting began with some soul searching over the chaos on Wednesday evening when Energy Committee chairman Jamleck Kamau withdrew amendments to the Kenya Information and Communications (Amendment) Bill because there were not enough members to overturn the President’s memorandum.

POOR ATTITUDE

Although Mr Barre Shill (Fafi, URP) and Majority Leader Aden Dualle appeared intent on having Cord MPs reprimanded for their behaviour on Wednesday evening, the discussion eventually turned into criticism of the Speaker and the Dujis MP.

Deputy Minority Leader Jakoyo Midiwo said although there were House rules and the Speaker may be right, it all came down to attitude.

“Attitude is important. We address each other, with bad attitude, with bad face.

We don’t need to annoy each other. It is six months down the line and we might not have known each other.

Now we must learn to live like brothers and sisters,” said Mr Midiwo.

The Gem MP said from experience, the House leadership would often engage in negotiations behind the scenes and avoid the sort of confrontations that lead to chaos in the chambers.

“The tone of (the Majority Leader’s) voice offends half of this country. It is offensive.

We can’t take it lying down. If we are to lead, there is only one Majority Leader in the House and he leads all of us. There is only one Leader of Minority.

We have to cross that line,” said Mr Midiwo.

Saying that a leader who does not realise when he offends people is a bad leader, Mr Midiwo told Mr Duale his voice “is not leading the people to Canaan” and asked him to consult more.

He said matters were more delicate during the coalition government than they are now, when the Jubilee government has “a super majority” in the National Assembly, and it should be much more easier to negotiate.

Before he spoke, Speaker Justin Muturi had stated that Ms Rachael Shebesh was right in brushing aside an attempt by Mr Peter Kaluma (Homa Bay Town, ODM) to have debate on the Media Bill postponed.

He said the bottom line was that MPs had to live by the rules.

“You have to live with the Judiciary edict that justice is as long as the judge’s foot,” he said, as he asked MPs to adhere to the Standing Orders, which they can change when the need arises.

“I do know for a fact that those who are Christians have found it difficult sometimes to observe and obey the Ten Commandments but I think as Members of Parliament we have responsibility to try and make efforts to observe these very simple rules,” said Mr Muturi.

A QUESTION OF COMPETENCE?

Mr John Mbadi (Suba, ODM) had earlier said Ms Shebesh, a member of the Speaker’s Panel, had failed the competence test as she presided over debate on Wednesday evening.

He said it was apparent that despite meeting media interest groups, the Energy Committee was not wholly committed to have the commitment they made with the Media Council honoured.

Mr Kamau, however, said they had met media interest groups from Monday to Wednesday.

He said he withdrew the amendments agreed with the media so that the committee could have an opportunity to bring them back “sometime later”.

ACT WITH DECORUM

Jubilee Chief Whip Katoo Ole Metito urged his colleagues to act with decorum and learn to differ in a civilised way.

He said the House leadership failed on Wednesday and the withdrawal of the Energy Committee’s amendments could have been avoided had there been adequate consultation.

Mr Metito said if the information Bill was passed, the committee retained the option of bringing another proposed law to amend it when the House resumes in February next year.

Richard Onyonka (Kitutu Chache South, ODM) said Cord was open to negotiations and it was possible to reach agreements on matters considered important by both sides.

“As the leader of the House, I would like to ask you as my friend, with whom I have worked in politics  and gone to school with, to have a clean heart, and even when you see that we are making mistakes, to lead us and help correct our wrongs so that we can be a respectable House,” said Mr Onyonka in Swahili.