Senate hits back at National Assembly as turf wars surge

The Senate has hit back at the National Assembly, accusing it of abuse of power and plotting to kill devolution, as turf wars between the two houses of parliament escalated on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the National Assembly took issue with the Senate for conducting parallel investigations to those it had launched. It asked senators to steer clear of issues of national concern and restrict themselves to oversight of county affairs.

But angry senators yesterday turned the heat on the National Assembly and rejected insinuations that by tackling matters of national importance its committees had overstepped their mandate.

They said such assertions are not supported by the Constitution.

FULLY EMPOWERED
The anger of the House was triggered by a statement by Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen, who said that while the legislative mandate of the Senate is limited, the oversight and representative mandates are not limited.

“The Senate is fully empowered under the Constitution to deliberate on any matter of concern. Allegations to the effect that the Senate and its committees have overstepped their mandate on various matters of concern do not find support in the Constitution,” Mr Murkomen said.

He said senators have not overstepped their mandate, adding that they must freely deliberate on any matter of concern.

PROTRACTED TURF OF WAR

Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula singled out National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi for blame, saying he had presided over a “stage managed” sitting in which members of the National Assembly delivered a “terrible tirade” against the Senate.

Faulting Mr Muturi for allowing the debate, the senator said sole intention of Tuesday's motion in the National Assembly was to give the Speaker an opportunity to escalate the protracted turf war between the two houses.

“Attempts were made to portray this House as erratic. But I want to tell the National Assembly that what we do here is not to make them happy; it is fortified by the law,” he said.

He went on: “The National Assembly has run out of ideas and breadth. They have nothing to do or say and they see the Senate as a punching bag.”

DUPLICATE WORK

In their motion on Tuesday, members of the National Assembly had described senators as idle who duplicate the work done by the National assembly.

The senators said the National Assembly was unhappy with investigations on pa payment of Sh1.5 billion for Ruaraka land and Solai Dam tragedy.

Others who spoke on the issue included senators Samuel Poghisio (West Pokot), Ledama ole Kina (Narok), Kimani Wamatangi (Kiambu) and Moses Kajwang (Homa Bay).