Blow to Ruto as allies kicked out of coveted House seats

Allies of Deputy President William Ruto have been moved from powerful House committees as President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga mass troops in Parliament ahead of the August elections.

The National Assembly yesterday adopted a motion that sought to make it easier to move lawmakers allied to the DP to less influential committees.

United Democratic Alliance (UDA) supporters heading committees such as Energy, Defence and Foreign Relations were moved to other committees where they will serve as ordinary members.

Kajiado South MP Katoo ole Metito was moved from the Defence and Foreign Relations committee, where he served as chairperson, to the Agriculture and Livestock team, where he will serve as an ordinary member.

Maara MP Japheth Kareke Mbiuki was moved from the leadership of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee and will now serve as an ordinary member of the Trade, Industry and Cooperatives team.

The axe also fell on Nakuru Town East MP David Gikaria, who has been shown the door from the helm of the powerful Energy committee and taken to the Regional Integration committee.

Bura MP Ali Wario was stripped of his position as the chairperson of the Regional Integration committee and will now serve as an ordinary member in the Energy committee.

The changes, which were unanimously adopted by the House, also saw Marakwet West MP William Kipkemoi Kisang discharged from the post of chair, Committee on Information, Communication and Technology. He will now be an ordinary member of the Lands committee.

Lunga Lunga MP Khatib Mwashetani, who has been serving as vice-chairperson of the Lands committee, has been moved to the Trade, Industry and Cooperatives committee as a member.

Laikipia Woman Rep Catherine Waruguru was moved from the Committee on Agriculture and Livestock, where she served as vice-chairperson.

Kiambu Woman Rep Gathoni Wamuchomba, who was moved from the Agriculture and Livestock Committee, will now be a member of the Information, Communication and Innovation House team.

Lugari MP Ayub Savula, who was widely expected to head the Regional and Integration Committee, yesterday confirmed to the Nation that he had been offered the position.

Mr Savula, however, said he declined the post, as he wanted to concentrate on building the new DAP-Kenya political party.

Mr Savula said the changes were a clear indication that President Kenyatta and Mr Odinga were keen on take charge of government business in the House in the remaining days.

“As Azimio team, we are very happy with the changes. We want to clip the influence of Dr Ruto’s allies in Parliament. We are streamlining the operations of government so that we have the right people at the right places,” Mr Savula said.

“The MPs allied to the DP should even resign from the committees. They cannot continue to earn allowances yet they just come to the House to oppose government business,” Mr Savula added.

According to Mr Savula, the changes should be a warning to the DP that his time in government is also up and he should.

The UDA camp suffered another blow after a motion seeking appointment of Mr Oscar Sudi (Kapseret), Mr Johana Ng’eno and Mr Didmus Barasa to the Powers and Privileges Committee was stood down, with lawmakers questioning the suitability of the three.

Ms Millie Odhiambo (Suba North) and Seme MP James Nyikal said the Privileges committee is a key House team that should be held by people who are “disciplined”.

“We are dealing with an extremely important committee that regulates the conduct of members. This is a committee that is concerned with how we are seen in the public. The selection committee did not look at these matters before settling on the names. There are some in that list whom we know and the public also knows them,” Dr Nyikal said.

Ms Odhiambo said members of the Privileges committee should be chosen carefully as they determine the image of the National Assembly.

“I’m not casting aspersions on some of my colleagues but we need to be serious even on the people we put on committees. Put people in committees where they belong and can serve better, not in serious committees like Powers and Privileges,” Ms Odhiambo said.

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi also expressed reservations about the list.

“I have looked at the names and I wonder whether these are the names that should serve in the Powers and Privileges Committee,” Mr Muturi said.

The Speaker stood the motion down and urged the select committee to review the list and ensure it is gender-compliant, as Baringo Woman Rep Gladwell Cheruiyot was the only woman on the list.

“I’m inclined to step down on this motion. It is not fair to have a committee with only one lady. In fact it’s unconstitutional,” Mr Muturi said.

The Powers and Privileges Committee is mandated to inquire into the conduct of any member who is alleged to have committed a breach of privilege.

The committee then reports to the House its findings and recommendations.

The powerful committee is also mandated to enforce the provisions of Chapter Six of the Constitution, the Leadership and Integrity Act, the Public Officer Ethics Act and the Fourth Schedule of the Parliamentary Power and Privileges Act, and to recommend necessary sanctions following a disciplinary hearing.

In case the committee finds a member guilty, it issues, with the approval of the House, a formal warning or reprimand to the member.

It may also order the member to apologise to the House or the person offended.

Further, the committee can impose a fine that is chargeable to the concerned member’s monthly salary and allowances.

The House may also choose to suspend the accused member for a certain period. [email protected]