Complex factors at play delay setting up of PSC
Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi on Wednesday directed Agriculture and Livestock, and Trade, Industry and Cooperatives committees to conduct a joint investigation and present a report to the House within days. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The fight over the positions in the Parliamentary Service Commission is the story of politicians fighting over the spoils after the elections.
- Mr Mbadi said he is yet to receive communication from the heads of Nasa on who the Opposition’s three nominees would be.
A vicious power struggle within the Opposition, political intrigue and plans by the Jubilee Party to exact revenge on Nasa could further delay the setting up of the commission that runs Parliament.
While the National Assembly’s House Business Committee had indicated that approval of the nominees would take place on Tuesday, the Order Paper for the next sitting on that day does not contain the names of the MPs nominated to the commission.
The fight over the positions in the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) is the story of politicians fighting over the spoils after the elections.
This is because positions on the commission that runs Parliament are considered plum as commissioners influence employment, watch over a large budget, enjoy a sitting allowance of Sh40,000, official cars, an office and staff.
The voting stalled last year after disagreements arose.
NOMINEES
Those on the list from the Jubilee side last year were Dr Naomi Shaaban (Taveta), Adan Keynan (Eldas), Aaron Cheruiyot (Kericho) and Beth Mugo (Nominated Senator), while Nasa had Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay Woman Rep, ODM), Aisha Jumwa (Malindi, ODM) and George Khaniri (Vihiga Senator, ANC).
On Saturday, National Assembly Minority Leader John Mbadi told the Sunday Nation he is yet to receive communication from the heads of Nasa on who the Opposition’s three nominees would be.
“The principals were supposed to meet. I don’t know whether they have met as the Summit,” Mr Mbadi said.
While he expressed hope that there would be consensus and he would write a letter with the three names, the Suba South MP was also pragmatic.
“In the event it is not practical, we will do whatever is possible, which is vote for the Jubilee nominees as we wait for ours,” he said.
WIPER AGENDA
The Opposition’s plans on the nominations were thrown into disarray on Tuesday last week when it was discovered that Wiper Democratic Movement had sent to Speaker Justin Muturi the nomination of Borabu MP Ben Momanyi, with minutes of the National Executive Committee to back the decision.
After a hastily-convened Parliamentary Group meeting of ODM, MPs from the largest Opposition party issued a warning to Wiper.
Mr Momanyi has however refused to back down.
“Raila Odinga should stop meddling in Wiper’s affairs,” Mr Momanyi said the following day.
“As far as we are concerned, we have finished as a party. We did our meeting, we have our minutes and we have submitted the same to the Speaker,” he added.
NASA COALITION
Mr Momanyi said the communication to the Speaker was in line with his instructions on December 14, 2017, when he postponed voting on the PSC list until Nasa gets its house in order.
Justin Muturi, the Speaker, at the time said the House would need to get a proper communication from Nasa as well as Wiper, because Wiper has the number of MPs required to be called a parliamentary party.
“You are a parliamentary party and you are therefore entitled to a slot,” Mr Muturi told Wiper MPs.
“However, you are also a member of the Nasa. Do you want to have your cake on this side and still eat it?
"You are either in the coalition or not. If you want to be recognised as a political party in terms of the Standing Orders, then you cannot be yet you are actually a coalition.
"So, you must go and discuss that matter and write to the House and let the House debate the matter in full knowledge of our understanding,” Mr Muturi said.
INFIGHTING
The Speaker would also introduce the catch that the nominees would be voted on individually, giving MPs the opportunity to reject those they do not want.
It is a decision Mr Mbadi does not agree with, and he told the Sunday Nation he had raised the matter at a meeting of the House Business Committee.
“There is nobody who can communicate Nasa’s names except me. That we have agreed with the Speaker in the House Business Committee,” he said.
To him, allowing Wiper to nominate its representative directly would amount to second-guessing the leadership of the House.
“You cannot have any Tom, Dick and Harry writing to the Speaker,” he said.
Among the resolutions at the ODM meeting on Tuesday was that the list from Nasa should remain as it is.
If it stays that way, the Nasa nominees would almost certainly fall as Jubilee Party MPs have instructions to do away with Ms Wanga, Mr Khaniri and Ms Jumwa.
VINDICTIVE
They have never forgiven Ms Wanga for pouring water on then Deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso during the violence that marked debate on the Security Laws (Amendment) Act in 2014.
Along with Ms Wanga, Mr Khaniri has also been vocal in supporting Nasa leader Mr Odinga during last year’s political contest.
Ms Jumwa’s call to Coast Opposition supporters to stop the October 26 election using witchcraft also irked Jubilee.
“We cannot assist radicals whose idea is to destroy us,” Jubilee deputy Majority Whip in the Senate, Irungu Kang’ata, said.
“As a Whip, I will work day and night to ensure they lose,” he said.
Mr Khaniri told the Sunday Nation he was aware the Jubilee legislators had at their meeting at State House on Tuesday been briefed into rejecting his name, but vowed to soldier on without fear.
“The two sides, the Executive and the Legislature, are independent of each other and the President should have the presence of mind to allow this independence to fester without undue influence.
"MPs are competent to handle this matter and they should be given free hand to run their affairs,” Mr Khaniri said.
POLITICAL INTERESTS
Asked why he was in the crosshairs of the President over the nomination, Mr Khaniri could only speculate:
“I don’t know really. I think it is just politics. The President is unhappy with my political stand; that I am one of those vehement opponents of his government.”
He also confirmed there had been an attempt to have him swap positions with his Makueni counterpart, Mutula Kilonzo Jnr, but he had rejected.
According to the details of the swap, Mr Kilonzo Jnr was supposed to step down as Minority Whip in the Senate and be appointed to PSC.
Under the arrangement, Mr Khaniri would have taken over as the Minority Whip.
“I politely rejected the offer and I have decided that my name should be on the list and let members reject it. I am not afraid,” Mr Khaniri said.
