Speaker Muturi saves powerful House team from changes

Members of National Assembly's Public Accounts Committee on November 04, 2015 at Parliament buildings where they were questioning Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru over the inflated expenses of office equipment procured by her ministry. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE

What you need to know:

  • Five members of the Namwamba-led PAC were barred from being part of the new team.

  • The PAC chaired by Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo has a membership of 29, and will serve for the remainder of Parliament’s term.

  • Following Mr Muturi’s declaration, the assembly committee on selection will only be required to nominate members to four other committees.

A parliamentary oversight committee was Tuesday saved from making changes in its membership after National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi ruled that it was properly constituted.

The Public Accounts Committee was appointed in April last year, following the disbandment of the team led by Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba over corruption allegations.

Five members of the Namwamba-led PAC were barred from being part of the new team.

The PAC chaired by Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo has a membership of 29, and will serve for the remainder of Parliament’s term.

In a communication to the House on Tuesday, Mr Muturi said the PAC constituted immediately after the General Election was to serve for three calendar years and that the one formed afterwards was to serve for the remainder of the parliamentary term.

HEAVY WORKLOAD

He also said the committee’s work would be affected. “PAC still has an enormous workload, some of which has a direct implication on the budget and running of the devolved governments,” he added.

Following Mr Muturi’s declaration, the assembly committee on selection will only be required to nominate members to four other committees.

These are the Budget and Appropriations Committee, the Public Investments Committee, the Committee of Privileges and the Committee on Appointment.

On December 17, 2015, the Speaker asked sessional committees to conclude pending matters as their terms would end upon the start of the fourth session.

Consequently, Mr Gumbo wrote to the Speaker and expressed the view that the  accounts committee ought to serve for the remainder of the parliamentary term.

The first committee in the current Parliament was constituted on May 16, 2013. However, it was disbanded in April last year.