Senators angered by Kennedy Mong’are removal from influential committee

Nyamira Senator Kennedy Mong'are, who was removed from the Senate's County Public Accounts and Investments Committee by Cord a day after he was elected chairman. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Senators said the action by the opposition coalition was contemptuous to members of the County Public Accounts and Investments Committee.
  • Mr Wetang’ula did not say a word as the members engaged in a bitter exchange.

Tempers flared in the Senate on Tuesday as members questioned the removal of Nyamira Senator Kennedy Mong’are from a powerful committee hours after he was elected chairman.

The senators said the action by the opposition coalition was contemptuous of members of the County Public Accounts and Investments Committee who had voted for Mr Mong’are, arguing that it would set a bad precedence for future elections for House teams.

Although Speaker Ekwee Ethuro promised to give a statement on the stalemate Wednesday, members were still eager to express their anger.

Jubilee and Cord senators accused each other of being behind the stalemate that has grounded the committee for about three weeks now.

Kiambu Senator Kimani Wamatangi, a member of the committee, kicked off the exchange when he questioned the move to de-whip Mr Mong’are, who he said had been properly elected, saying such an action was bound to set a bad precedence.

He was responding to a request for a statement directed to the committee by Murang’a Senator Kembi Gitura.

“The committee has been in limbo because it has been unable to transact business. Does it mean that a committee can be rendered dysfunctional by simply de-whipping a duly elected chairman? This is a bad precedence that can be used to make committees dysfunctional by any side of the House,” said Mr Wamatangi.

Mr Mong’are (Ford-Kenya) was kicked out of the committee by Minority Whip Johnson Muthama after his election.

Mr Muthama defended his action Tuesday, saying he was properly informed and empowered and that he had acted after consultations with members of the opposition coalition.

DEMOCRACY

“The whipping and de-whipping solely rests with the House Whips. They take actions as per the consultations held with their members. What happened is that the candidate who won was sponsored by the other side.

“The chairman and the vice-chairman should come from the opposition. My members walked out during the elections. There were no proper elections done,” said Mr Muthama.

Mr Mong’are dismissed the comments, saying the Machakos senator had acted alone and without the blessings of Minority Leader Moses Wetang’ula.

“I am the substantive chairman of the committee. The letter to de-whip me was done without the consent of the party I come from. Parliamentary democracy must be followed. You do not just de-whip without whipping.

“I won a democratic election. My party leader Moses Wetang’ula has approved my election. Some individuals with vested interests should not be allowed to hold this committee hostage,” said Mr Mong’are.

Mr Wetang’ula did not say a word as the members engaged in a bitter exchange.

Mandera Senator Billow Kerrow said it was against parliamentary democracy to remove a member who has been elected to lead a committee.

Senate Deputy Minority Leader Abdirahman Hassan (Wajir) said the matter was purely about the opposition, which he said should be allowed to deal with it in a proper manner.

“The Cord leadership has spoken about this matter. We have consulted widely and the Speaker should be allowed to give his ruling on the matter tomorrow,” said Mr Hassan.