With elections over, politicians scramble for top House seats
Kenya's parliament. The long electioneering season has ended but politicians do not seem to agree on how to share the spoils. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
The fight within the opposition National Super Alliance played out on the floor of the National Assembly.
A Wiper MP said his party had been short-changed in the sharing of slots in the Parliamentary Service Commission.
Sources in the ruling party said some MPs were not satisfied with its nominees to the influential commission.
There were murmurs of dissatisfaction with the selection of committee chairmen done by the President and his Deputy.
The long electioneering season has ended but politicians do not seem to agree on how to share the spoils.
This was evident Wednesday evening as leaders in the two main coalitions fought to be considered for plum positions in Parliament.
The fight within the opposition National Super Alliance played out on the floor of the National Assembly where a Wiper MP said his party had been short-changed in the sharing of slots in the Parliamentary Service Commission.
Jubilee MPs looked on with glee and even contributed to the debate.
However, sources in the ruling party said some MPs were not satisfied with its nominees to the influential commission.
There were murmurs of dissatisfaction with the selection of committee chairmen done by the President and his Deputy and announced at a State House meeting.
MPs are expected to debate and vote on the motion naming the membership of the Parliamentary Service Commission Thursday.
Jubilee nominated Taveta MP Naomi Shaaban, Mr Adan Keynan (Eldas), Nominated Senator Beth Mugo and Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot.
Nasa has named Homa Bay Woman Rep Gladys Wanga (ODM), Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa (ODM) and Vihiga senator George Khaniri (ANC).
The commission is headed by the Speaker of the National Assembly and has two other members recruited from the public.
It is considered influential as it approves decisions in the running of Parliament as an institution.
Its members often influence employment in Parliament and it watches over budgetary allocations.
Commissioners are paid an allowance of Sh40,000 per sitting since PSC is a constitutional commission.
Immediately Majority Leader Aden Duale notified the House about the motion, Borabu MP Ben Momanyi (Wiper) was on his feet protesting his party’s exclusion.
“We can’t have a situation where two people sit and decide for the party,” he said.
Wiper had nominated Mr Momanyi to the powerful commission.
Minority Leader John Mbadi downplayed the protests, saying the decision belonged to a higher Nasa organ.
“Those positions would have been shared had Nasa taken the Executive,” he said.
Ruaraka MP Tom Kajwang and his Kisumu West counterpart Olago Aluoch (Ford Kenya) were unhappy with the public spat and asked National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi not to be dragged into it.
“Nasa is washing its dirty linen in public,” Mr Aluoch said.
There was reportedly a similar concern in Jubilee, especially with the nomination of Ms Mugo.
She is the President’s cousin and this is the second time she has been nominated as a senator. She was also in PSC in the last Parliament.
