The embattled Mong’are on his part remained defiant and even chaired his maiden sitting on Thursday morning saying he had not been notified of the unprocedural action/CFM BUSINESS
This is after Ford Kenya on whose ticket Mong’are was elected protested the move, saying it did not sanction the action.
FORD-K Secretary General Eseli Simiyu said he had not written to CORD seeking the de-whipping of their MP.
The embattled Mong’are on his part remained defiant and even chaired his maiden sitting on Thursday morning saying he had not been notified of the unprocedural action.
“Those are premature letters which do not stop me from being the chairman of the PAIC, whereby I won yesterday decisively and overwhelmingly. I am a member of Ford Kenya from Nyamira County, my party leadership does not subscribe to that kind of letter. I have just come from a Parliamentary Group meeting and they have congratulated me and told me they have faith in me. Even my party leader was in the meeting, so I don’t understand where this letter is coming from,” he told Capital FM News.
Ten MPs from the Gusii region led by Jimmy Angwenyi and Ben Momanyi have in the meantime demanded the CORD leadership withdraws the letter purporting to de-whip the Nyamira Senator.
Momanyi, who is a member of Wiper which is also a key affiliate member of the CORD, wondered why Senate Minority Whip Johnson Muthama (also a Wiper legislator) took the action without the concurrence of the coalition leadership.
“We were shocked last night when it was announced that he was de-whipped for the crime of winning a fair election. We ask parties concerned to withdraw this letter de-whipping him,” Angwenyi stated.
Momanyi added; “It is suspicious, because he cannot be elected during the day and at night he is removed.”
Muthama has since stated that the he wrote to the Speaker because Mong’are was not among Senators identified to vie for the chairmanship of the House team and that he ousted Khalwale without their blessing.
Mong’are garnered six votes against Khalwale’s three in elections which also saw West Pokot Senator John Lonyangapuo unanimously elected vice-chairman.
Kisumu Senator Anyang’ Nyong’o walked out of the meeting after it emerged that a gentleman’s agreement in CORD that would have seen Khalwale step down failed to materialize.
READ: Mong’are replaces Khalwale as Senate PAC chairman
Speaking after the poll on Wednesday, Khalwale and Okong’o pledged to work together with the incoming chairman to oversight expenditure by counties.
“We believe in devolution so much, we believe in the role of Senate so much for the success of devolution that we shall so everything possible to ensure that Senator Mong’are succeeds as the chairman of this committee. This should not invoke any feeling of bitterness in a former official,” said Khalwale.
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