Speaking to journalists at Parliament Buildings, Murathe explained that party discipline among members is important, hence the reason the mandate is a prerogative of the party/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 25 – Jubilee Party Vice Chairman David Murathe says the four disgruntled MPs who were on Tuesday ousted from various House committees should quit the party if they are unhappy.
Speaking to journalists at Parliament Buildings, Murathe explained that party discipline among members is important, hence the reason the mandate is a prerogative of the party.
“If you do not toe the party line, you should expect to be disciplined by the party. This is not about the Executive loading it over the Legislature. When you were joining the party, there were certain tenets of the party that you swore to abide by and if you are unhappy you are free to make other decisions.”
“But as long as you are a member the party and the party leadership in its wisdom has decided; you will either toe the line or hit the highway,” Murathe stated.
MPs Alfred Keter (Nandi Hills), James Gakuya (Embakasi North), Kangongo Bowen (Marakwet East) and Silas Tiren (Moiben) were stripped of their committee leadership positions for defying the party.
The rebel MPs have since vowed to defend their posts while accusing President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto of muzzling the independence of Parliament.
At the same time, National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has refuted claims by the Nandi Hills MP who alleged that the House Speaker and a section of the Secretariat had colluded with State House to ensure he and his colleagues were ejected from the House teams through censure motions he termed as being ‘irrational, illegal and unconstitutional’.
“As to leadership and selection of members into committees, I am not involved; that is purely a political party matter. Therefore to say that I want to influence, really I think it is not even to speculate, it is to bring me to a level that I shouldn’t.”
Keter added on Tuesday stated that the House Speaker had been compromised and was no longer objective while dealing with House issues.
“You know they say if you get into a fight with a pig you will get some mud on yourself, and I don’t intend to engage pigs in a fight,” the House Speaker explained.
Muturi says the courts have no jurisdiction to hear the dispute as it relates between the party and its members.
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