Tribal claims in parliamentary meeting

Claims of tribalism in the distribution of key positions in parliamentary committees dominated yesterday’s Kenya Kwanza parliamentary group meeting chaired by President William Ruto at State House.

 Sources disclosed that MPs present raised concerns that the list did not meet regional balance as some regions were favoured at the expense of others while others regretted that they were forced to drop their interest to vie as chairs.

The sources further claimed that lawmakers from the Mount Kenya region were accused of “grabbing” majority of top positions of committees perceived to be powerful or lucrative.  “I can assure you that members are not happy with this list, it is skewed only favours some regions. The worst is that some of us were told to drop our quest to be chairs,” said one of the MPs who did not want to be named.

Despite their grumbles, sources said that Ruto told the lawmakers to ensure they adopt the lists without making any changes. “The president made it clear that he wants the list passed as it is, no changes at all,” added the source.

Currently, there are 44 committees out of which 20 are departmental committees, 20 others are select committees with eight of them being reserved for the minority side and four others are committees that can only be chaired by either the speaker or deputy speaker.

Based on this, the committee chairs that were up for grabs were 32 out of which MPs from the Mt Kenya region scooped fifteen chairmanship slots, almost half the total number compared to other regions that were only allocated one or two committees.

The committee leadership slots that went to Mt Kenya MPs include Agriculture and Livestock that will be chaired by John Mutunga (Tigania West) which Kwanza MP Ferdinand Wanyonyi had expressed interest to chair, Communication, Information and Innovation will be chaired by Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie, Environment, Forestry and Mining will be chaired by Nakuru Town East MP David Gikaria.

Expressed interest

Finance and National Planning committee will be chaired by Molo MP Kimani Kuria, Justice and Legal Affairs which Ainabkoi MP Samuel Chepkonga had expressed interest in will be chaired by Tharaka MP George Murugara, Labour and Social Protection which Omboko Milemba (Emuhaya) had expressed interest will now be chaired by Runyenjes MP Eric Muchangi.

Social Protection will be chaired by Thika town MP Alice Ng’ang’a, Tourism and Wildlife will be chaired by Maara MP Kareke Mbiuki, Trade, Industry and Cooperatives will be chaired by Embakasi North MP James Gakuya while the Transport and Infrastructure which Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa had expressed interests will be now be chaired by Ndia MP George Kariuki.

Kiharu MP Ndindi MP will chair Budget and Appropriation with Chepkonga chairing delegated legislation, Gatanga MP Edward Muriu (Parliamentary Powers and Privileges), Kipipiri MP Wanjiku Muhia (Regional Integration), Githunguri MP Gathoni Wa Muchomba (Constitutional Implementation Oversight) while Members service and facilities will be chaired by Laikipia West Stephen Wachira.

Interestingly on the minority side Embakasi East MP Babu Owino who was fighting to be the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairperson has not been placed in the said committee but nominated MP John Mbadi who was his main challenger is listed as a member.

But speaking when he moved the list for adoption in the house, leader of Majority Kimani Ichungwa asked the lawmakers to be contented with the committees they have been allocated as not all requests could be fulfilled.

He however told the lawmakers that majority and minority leaders in the house will keep track of the member’s performance in the house and if established they have not been working they will take action. “We will keep track of the committee and if you are not active please allow us to crack the whip. Please do have the time and opportunity to attend to committees. Majority and minority whip will be able to know who the most active members in the committee are,” he said.

Keep track

He disclosed that during the placement of the committees, in the transport committee, 79 members from the Majority side made requests to be placed in the committee yet they only have eight slots available while in the minority side 79 members had made an interest to sit in the committee.

In the budget and appropriation 99 members sought to sit in the committee yet the committee can only accommodate 29 members.  “It is not possible to please everybody, we please some and others we will not, at the end of the day we are all members of the National assembly and can attend any of the committees,” he said.

Leader of minority Opiyo Wandayi stated that they will in the future investigate why only certain committees attract huge interests at the expense of others.

Speaker Moses Wetangula said that following the decision of the house, the committees will be facilitated to elect the chairs and vice chairs. “Committees will be facilitated from Monday to have inaugural meetings. The committee responsible for vetting of IG will be facilitated as early as tomorrow morning, to elect the chair and vice chair so that together with the senate they can sit to vet the nominee for the position of IG,” said Wetangula.