Court reinstates Jubilee MPs to House committee posts

Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter speaks to journalists on May 20, 2017 after consoling Uasin Gishu County assembly aspirant James Ratemo (left) after the death of his sons. Mr Keter has been removed from the Labour and Social Welfare committee. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The four legislators sued National Assembly’s Chief Whip Benjamin Washiali, Majority leader Aden Duale and the Speaker over the row on committee posts.
  • Through lawyer Frank Walukwe, they argued that the Jubilee disciplinary team did not grant them an opportunity to be heard before having them discharged from four different committees.

Four Jubilee MPs who were removed from being members of committees of the National Assembly on Wednesday obtained reprieve when the High Court temporarily suspended that decision.

Justice John Mativo issued the reprieve order in a case in which Nandi Hills MPs Alfred Keter (Nandi Hills), Silas Kipkoech Tiren (Moiben), David Kangogo Bowen (Marakwet East) and James Gakuya (Embakasi North) had challenged the decision to remove them from the said positions because of allegedly defying Jubilee party’s leadership.

ROW

The four legislators sued National Assembly’s Chief Whip Benjamin Washiali, Majority leader Aden Duale and the Speaker over the row on committee posts.

In filed case documents, they claimed that they all won leadership in four different committees after being elected in polls held on December 20 but soon after they got letters from Mr Washiali and Mr Duale which stripped them their positions.

Through lawyer Frank Walukwe, they argued that the Jubilee disciplinary team did not grant them an opportunity to be heard before having them discharged from four different committees.

“Contrary to the provisions of the Standing orders, they were never informed of the pendency of the Chief Whip’s decision to discharge them from their various departmental committees neither were they given an opportunity to be heard,” said Mr Walukwe.

He added: “Additionally, Jubilee disciplinary mechanism for purposes of wild allegations made were never instigated so as to resolve on their fate prior to taking that arbitrary decision.”

During the said polls, MP Keter was elected chairman of the Labour and Social Welfare committee, defeating Bura MP Ali Wario, who was the choice of the ruling party.

Mr Tiren was elected Agriculture committee’s chairman, defeating Adan Ali of Mandera East, Jubilee’s preferred candidate.

Mr Bowen defeated Jubilee’s choice of Sofia Abdi (Ijara) for the Environment and Natural Resources committee while Mr Kosgey had attempted to run against Kieni MP Kanini Kega at the Trade, Industry and Cooperatives committee.

The legislators, together with Emgwen’s Alex Kosgey received letters on December 18 and 19 from Mr Washiali to discharge them based on allegations that they went against the Jubilee party’s position. “It remains