Raila, Ruto, Uhuru-allied MPs close ranks to save their jobs

MPs allied to Deputy President William Ruto yesterday ate humble pie and pulled back from their opposition to the composition of a key committee of the National Assembly in a bid to save their jobs.

They had shot down the motion that would have seen the reconstitution of the House Business Committee (HBC) last week, a move that would have paralysed Parliament until June.

But yesterday, the House adopted a procedural motion in which the lawmakers joined their colleagues in Azimio la Umoja to rescind last week’s decision. This gives them an opportunity to fully serve their term.

“Common sense has finally prevailed,” said an elated Eldas MP Adan Keynan, soon after the vote.

“Tanga Tanga MPs have finally realised they will be shamed should they stick to their mischief. In any case, they were going nowhere because they have no numbers. We had mobilised to defeat them,” he added.

New list of HBC members

The rescission motion was moved by Majority Leader Amos Kimunya (Kipipiri), seconded by Minority Leader John Mbadi (Suba South) and adopted by the House without debate. 

Soon after, Mr Kimunya moved another motion in which MPs approved the new list of HBC members. This motion was also seconded by Mr Mbadi and adopted without debate. 

Mr Shadrack Mose (South Mugirango), Joyce Amanikor (Turkana) and Ms Kawira Mwangaza (Meru) will sit on the committee from the DP’s camp.

Mr Kimunya moved the motion after speaking at an Azimio la Umoja rally in Nyandarua yesterday, which was also attended by Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga.

Mr Kimunya had told the rally that the House leadership was saddened by last week’s decision, which he claimed had been engineered by Dr Ruto to sabotage the National Assembly.

Powerful committee

“He invited his MPs to frustrate House business. We must ensure he doesn’t become president; he is selfish. Without Parliament, there is no budget, no development etc. If he tries it again, we shall handle him from other angles. That political conman must go back to Sugoi,” he said.

The newly reconstituted HBC, under the leadership of Speaker Justin Muturi, retreated for a meeting soon after the vote. The powerful committee sits every Tuesday.   

HBC is crucial to the functioning of the House as it sets the business to be transacted on a weekly basis. It’s reconstituted on the first day of every session of Parliament. 

Its reconstitution is a reprieve to the sixth and last session of the 12th Parliament ahead of the August 9 general election. 

Failure to approve the House risked grounding the operations of the government in the next financial year. The state depends on the National Assembly to approve the budget to fund, among others, the elections as well as critical service deliveries, such as buying drugs for hospitals.