Nasa MPs ‘resist’ contentious House list
Suba South MP John Mbadi (ODM) who is the Minority Leader in the National Assembly. PHOTO | ANTHONY OMUYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The protesting MPs were drawn mainly from Coast, Kisii and Ukambani regions.
- Jubilee nominated MP Cecily Mbarire protested the failure to include a woman.
The National Super Alliance’s first day of full participation in Parliament was marked by an internal rift after MPs from three regions protested their exclusion from the opposition’s leadership in the National Assembly.
The rift played out on the floor of the National Assembly, where the MPs protested, and in the corridors, where they shouted at each other.
The contentious Nasa list has Suba South MP John Mbadi (ODM) as the Minority Leader, Kathiani MP Robert Mbui (Wiper) as his deputy, Suna East MP Junet Mohamed (ODM) as Minority Whip and Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa (Ford Kenya) as his deputy.
COALITION
National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi said he had accepted the list and Mr Mohammed was immediately shown to his office by Parliament staff.
“The Nasa coalition has now fully complied with their coalition procedures in submitting the names of its leadership in the House. In this regard, I confirm that the said names now constitute the coalition’s leadership in the House in the respective capacities as advised,” Mr Muturi said.
As others praised the decision and Jubilee nominated MP Cecily Mbarire protested the failure to include a woman, Msambweni MP Suleiman Dori, who had presided over an angry meeting of the Coast Parliamentary Group, protested.
He said he wanted the Minority Whip slot to go to a Coast Nasa MP, saying no meeting had been held by the Nasa parliamentary group to agree on the list. “Coast region had a big contribution to Nasa’s numbers. We will not accept this list. If Coast is not accepted, we will resist... as they are ‘resisting’,” said Mr Dori, who is also the Coast Parliamentary Group chairman.
He was referring to Nasa’s campaign to resist products from certain companies over their alleged role in the August 8 presidential election.
Kilifi North MP Owen Baya (ODM) also accused Nasa leadership of taking its support at the coast for granted. “We deserve a position among the four. We cannot have four members from one region in the list,” Mr Baya said.
The Speaker said the opposition communicated about the leadership positions through letters dated November 16, 2017 and November 29, 2017.
The protesting MPs were drawn mainly from Coast, Kisii and Ukambani regions.
