ODM to select public accounts panel members

ODM leader Raila Odinga on Sunday leads his troops to a retreat to pick names of members who will sit in the new Public Accounts Committee following the disbandment of its precursor, choked to death by corruption allegations.

Of importance to Mr Odinga, the Sunday Nation has learnt, is to settle on the individual who will chair the powerful watchdog committee at the two-day meeting of the National Executive Council at Maanzoni Lodge, Machakos County.

The committee previously chaired by Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba has been disbanded on the recommendation of Parliament’s Powers and Privileges Committee. Leader of Majority in the National Assembly Aden Duale and Leader of Minority Francis Nyenze are this week expected to present names of the new team members.

Already, there is intense lobbying among MPs keen on being appointed. The first assignment of the new committee will be to elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson, a decision which is usually taken by the parties before the meeting – making the election a mere rubber stamping event. PAC has traditionally been chaired by the Opposition.

The House decision, some MPs told us in confidence, could have come as a blessing in disguise to Mr Odinga who is said to have become impatient with the former team because of the corruption allegations.

An ODM senator who did not want to be named said Mr Odinga had planned to overhaul the committee leadership in the National Assembly in February but changed his mind for fear of a possible political backlash.

Some of those mentioned to chair the team are ODM director of elections Junet Mohamed, Funyula MP Paul Otuoma, Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi and Abdikadir Aden (Balambala).

ODM chairman John Mbadi confirmed that the meeting, expected to start at 2 p.m. on Sunday, will continue until Monday with youth and women leagues expected to present their reports on how to strengthen the party.

OVERSIGHT BODY

But as the lawmakers lobby, a member of Mr Odinga’s inner circle told the Sunday Nation that the party leader has yet to make up his mind on who would chair the committee, which is reserved for the opposition since it is an oversight body.

From Ford-Kenya, an affiliate member of Cord, Tongaren MP Eseli Simiyu’s name has been mentioned to take up the seat. He is also said to be keen on taking up the challenge.

Dr Simiyu told the Sunday Nation that should he be requested by the coalition to take up the position, he would gladly accept it.

“We will need to wait and see about that because it is upon the coalition leadership to decide. What, however, is not in doubt is that I have what it takes to move PAC to the next level.”

In the spirit of giving credit where it is due, Mr Simiyu, who is also the Ford-Kenya secretary- general, praised Mr Namwamba for having led his team to clear a backlog of unaudited government accounts.

“Today more funds will be channelled to counties because of his work. They achieved a lot and those who succeed them must sustain the momentum,” he said.

But his appointment is likely to attract a backlash from ODM MPs who see the seat as theirs. Some NEC members already pointed this out to the Sunday Nation. In terms of ethnic balancing, both Mr Otuoma and Mr Eseli fit the bill since the former holder of the office is from Western – in fact both Mr Namwamba and Mr Otuoma come from Busia county.

This is the second meeting Cord is having at the same venue. Last Monday, a standing committee of Okoa Kenya referendum drive that brings together Senators Hassan Omar, Johnstone Muthama, James Orengo and Judy Sijenyi met there. MPs Simiyu, Wandayi, TJ Kajwang’, Daniel Maanzo and Okoa Kenya chairman Paul Mwangi also attended.

Mr Namwamba, his vice Cecily Mbarire (TNA), Mr Ahmed Abass (Ijara), Mr James Bett (Kesses, URP) and Mr Omondi Anyanga (Nyatike,ODM) have been barred from sitting in the next PAC. They were accused of making graft allegations against their colleagues which the Privileges committee said they could not substantiate.

Adopting the recommendation of the Privileges Committee that was led by Kuresoi North MP Moses Cheboi, Deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso gave leaders of Majority and Minority parties seven days to select new members.

JOHN MBADI

It has also emerged that Mr Odinga, together with his co-principals in Cord, will not leave the decision on who becomes PAC chair to the coalition leadership in the House to decide.

There is also serious debate whether to retain old members of PAC who do not feature among those banned from sitting in the new committee.

In the event that the retreat resolves to include them, ODM chairman John Mbadi may be considered to lead the new team. It will, however, not be a smooth sail for him as some within the party consider it unwise to have him replace Mr Namwamba.

They argue that the move could cause an implosion in ODM as Mr Namwamba will feel slighted especially after claims that Mr Mbadi said he wouldn’t mind seeing him lose his seat.

Others say giving him the position would amount to over-compensation given that there are some ODM members who do not even sit in committees. The odds could also be against the Balambala MP. The fact that Eldas MP Adan Keynan, who comes from the same region as Mr Aden in North Eastern, already chairs the Public Investments Committee — the only other House committee led by a member of the opposition — complicates matters for him.

“Do not even go there; what is the place of regional balance in that?” an MP who hopes to bag the seat quipped.

Reading from the same script, both Mr Mbadi and Mr Namwamba yesterday told the Sunday Nation that the issue of PAC is not part of the agenda of the retreat.

“This is a meeting that was planned long before the PAC matter came up. We shelved it because of the previous by-elections in Homa Bay and later Kajiado Central. Let us not confuse things here, PAC membership will be handled by the coalition and, in particular, the House leadership,” the ODM chairman said.

ABABU SUSPENDED

Mr Namwamba, who has been suspended from four sittings in the House after refusing to apologise over the corruption claims, also denied that PAC membership would be discussed.

“I have the retreat programme. That is not on the agenda. Parliamentary business is handled through the PG (party’s Parliamentary Group meeting). The retreat is an induction for the new party leadership – NEC, NEB (National Elections Board) and the Secretariat. We will also take stock of the political environment and chart our roadmap to 2017,” Mr Namwamba said.

Other agenda lined up for discussion, Mr Mbadi said, revolve around the impending restructuring of the party secretariat as well as reviewing nomination rules.

“This is the first retreat after the new NEC came into being last year. We will be meeting to chart the way forward on a number of issues. The bottom line is to improve on the gains we have made as a party and strengthen areas of weakness,” he said.

Mr Wandayi, the ODM secretary for political affairs, said the party leadership will not gamble with who chairs PAC.

“PAC is a key committee in the House and, depending on how we handle it, it can be used to gauge us as an opposition coalition. In my view, much as it is the right of any member to sit in the committee, we need one of our best soldiers here. A person whose commitment to reforms and ideals of our coalition is not in doubt,” he said, brushing aside “not as important” talk that he is among those being considered.

Mr Wandayi said this being midterm, they have enough information about the character of all ODM members and so it will not be an uphill task for the party leadership to decide who should sit in or chair the committee.

“Two years is enough time to know what each one of us stands for. The person who chairs PAC must be beyond reproach,” he said.