Jubilee vows to crack whip on errant MPs  

Jubilee Party has warned that it will not tolerate acts of indiscipline by its members.

Ten MPs allied to Deputy President William Ruto have accused the party leadership of using State agencies to harass and intimidate them.

The MPs led by Kimani Ngunjiri (Bahati) claimed there is an elaborate plan to arrest them, using fabricated charges by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Ethics and Anti- Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA). 

DISRESPECTING PRESIDENT

But speaking at Parliament buildings on Thursday, Senate majority whip Irungu Kang’ata (Murang’a) said that for a long time some of the party’s members were having a taste of their own medicine for disrespecting the President and that it is time they are dealt with. 

“They have no respect for the president. They have publicly contradicted him. They are constantly abusing him and it is my duty to ensure that they are punished,” Mr Kang’ata. 

Mr Kang’ata also made it clear that he will be moving a motion for the removal of Senate Deputy Speaker Kithure Kindiki (Tharaka-Nithi) during the House’s special sitting today. 

Mr Kindiki and a group of five nominated Senators have been accused of refusing to attend the party’s Parliamentary Group meeting convened by President Kenyatta at state house two weeks ago. 

PARTY CONSTITUTION

The meeting was called to ratify a decision to vote out Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen as the leader of majority and his Nakuru colleague Susan Kihika as majority whip for “constantly defying the president.” 

“We will continue to punish those who go against the party constitution and the Political Parties’ Act. All I am doing is to enforce the party discipline and I am under instructions from the party members,” said Mr Kang’ata. 

But even as Mr Kang’ata spoke, a group of Jubilee renegade MPs in a statement read on their behalf by their South Mugirango colleague Silvanus Osoro, said that they will not be whipped into submission.  

He said the plan to unleash the DCI, KRA and EACC is meant to wear them out through shuttling them between courts and police stations while inflicting “stress and anxiety as well as harm.” 

CREDIBLE THREATS

“Some MPs have reported credible threats to their lives to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations yet nothing was done by way of meaningful investigation,” a statement read on behalf of the MP by their South Mugirango colleague Silvanus Osoro, who was elected on Kenya National Congress that is allied to Jubilee, claimed. 

“We are aware of plans to eliminate certain MPs in retaliation and as a warning to others over their political views. An elite squad was recently disbanded by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations after details of plans to harm political leaders leaked out,” he said. 

MPs Nelson Koech (Belgut), Victor Munyaka (Machakos Town), Didmus Barasa (Kimilili) and Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu) are among the others who accompanied Mr Ngunjiri.  

“If someone has taken your bodyguard, has had your licensed gun withdrawn…….what next? It’s to kill you! If anything bad happens, the president will be liable,” Mr Ngunjiri said. 

However, Jubilee Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju told the MPs to stop diverting the attention but report their claims to the relevant government agencies. 

“Some of us have been around long enough to understand how politicians respond when they have been cornered. They always use the refrain of money has been poured to finish us,” Mr Tuju said.