The move comes after the Opposition suffered a blow in its bid to block Ben Momanyi from the list reserved for the Opposition after Wiper Party outwitted Minority House Leaders/COURTESY
NAIROBI, Kenya Feb 22 – The Orange Democratic Movement was on Thursday forced to drop Homa Bay Woman Representative Gladys Wanga from its list of nominees to the Parliamentary Service Commission.
The Opposition party has now donated their spot to Vihiga Senator George Khaniri of the Amani National Congress “in the spirit of the Coalition” and nominated Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa to the remaining slot.
“As the bigger brother in terms of numbers and because of our magnanimity we have decided that because of that one slot which was our entitlement, we give one, George Khaniri, who is actually the most experienced MP in the Republic of Kenya,” Minority Leader John Mbadi told the House.
The move comes after the Opposition suffered a blow in its bid to block Ben Momanyi from the list reserved for the Opposition after Wiper Party outwitted Minority House Leaders and wrote to Speaker Justin Muturi providing minutes of its National Executive Council stating that it had nominated Momanyi and not Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo as its pick.
Mbadi had previously submitted the names Wanga, Jumwa and the Makueni Senator to the lucrative Commission mandate to look after the welfare of MPs and other parliamentary staff.
The move may have been taken to avoid a fight with Jubilee who had teamed up with Wiper and vowed to reject Wanga.
Majority Leader Aden Duale and his Minority counterpart challenged the new members comprising Naomi Shaban (Taveta), Adan Keynan (Eldas), Ben Momanyi (Borabu), Senators Beth Mugo (Nominated) and Aaron Cheruiyot (Kericho) to hit the ground running and ensure they represent MPs issues well.
“The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) did not understand their work; it was not just to take car grants from MPs but not from other government officials,” Mbadi continued, “a lot of decisions made by SRC affected our service delivery and many of us are unhappy. We should not condemn the PSC.”
Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo sought the Speaker’s ruling on the constitutionality of re-electing Keynan and Mugo as commissioners against a constitutional provision which states that anyone appointed in a Commission is eligible for re-appointment only once.
Mugo and Keynan have served as members of the Commission in the 10th and 11th Parliaments where the also deputised the Speaker of the National Assembly who chairs the team.
“Article 250 (6) (a) is very specific that unless ex-officio, no person can serve in the Commission for more than one term, it is a fixed term of six years. I have heard the Minority Leader say that the Parliamentary Service Commission is exempt from the provision of the Constitution. I needed to guided, Mr Speaker, are we not in danger of doing an act that is unconstitutional by amending Article 250 (6) (a) and allowing a member to essentially serve for than one time,” said the Rarieda MP.
The Speaker brushed off the issue.
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