MPs have started pushing for the change of members in key watchdog committees following concerns that some of them had previously faced accusations by the same teams.
Fears have been expressed that their records could compromise the work of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Public Investments Committee (PIC) and the committee on Finance.
Plans are afoot by dissatisfied members to introduce a motion in the House with a view to reconstitute membership of the key teams.
Said Karachuonyo MP James Rege: “Someone is planning to bring the motion into the House very soon. People don’t want to admit these things, but we need clean people in these committees if Parliament is to function effectively.”
Some MPs blame voters for electing individuals whose records have been questioned in reports of House watchdog committees PIC and PAC.
The membership of PAC and PIC committees which are headed by MPs Bonny Khalwale and Mithika Linturi, respectively, has been questioned by the public.
Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo whose name has featured in PIC report before is Mr Linturi’s deputy at PIC.
But Mr Jirongo has declared that he has never been taken to court by the Government on corruption charges.
The Lugari MP stated that his woes with the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) were caused by the failure of the fund to pay him for his houses.
“Can anyone show a case in which I have been taken to court by the Government on corruption charges? There is none,” he said.
The former Cabinet minister who is the only Opposition MP in the10th Parliament, said that were past records of lawmakers to be considered, some Cabinet ministers would be declared unfit to occupy public office.
“Just look at the Cabinet that was appointed. There are some ministers who are still facing charges of corruption yet they are flying flags,” he said.
Former Commissioner of Lands Sammy Mwaita (Baringo Central MP), gemstone dealer Johnson Muthama (Kangundo) and contractor Ephraim Maina (Mathira MP) also sit in the 11-member committee.
The crucial committee of Administration, National Security and Local Authorities is headed by Mt Elgon MP Fred Kapondi. The ODM MP has brushed shoulders with authorities over security situation in his constituency.
Mr Kapondi has been facing court charges and was nominated to be ODM flag-bearer in Mt Elgon in last year’s General Election while in remand.
Mt Elgon has dominated the news following attacks on locals by the dreaded Sabaot Land Defence Forces (SLDF) militia leading to a major security operation to weed them out.
Mr Kapondi has accused military personnel of torturing locals during the operation and was conspicuously absent when Internal Security minister George Saitoti and Defence’s Yusuf Haji visited the area last month.
Mr Kapondi’s committee is in charge of the country’s corrective institutions in relation to administration and security concerns.
A closely related committee on Defence and Foreign Relations is headed by Wajir South MP Adan Keynan who was acquitted of murder charges in 2003. He had been taken to court on accusations of killing a foreigner. Mr Keynan’s committee handles issues relating to Kenya’s relations with other countries.
Former Planning and National Development assistant minister Ekwe Ethuro leads the Constituency Development Committee while Mr Rege, a former Information and Communications permanent secretary, chairs the Energy, Communications and Public Works committee.
National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende chairs the Standing Orders Committee which has since called for a retreat later this month to study and review amendments to allow live coverage of parliamentary proceedings.
Mr Marende promised to ensure live coverage of Parliament during his tenure.
Former Finance minister Chris Okemo heads the Finance, Planning and Trade committee which has been investigating some of cases dating back to time he was at the Treasury.
Ol Kalou MP Erastus Mureithi who has interest in the horticulture industry sits in the Agriculture, Lands and Natural Resources committee while lawyer Abdikadir Mohamed chairs the team on Administration of Justice and Legal Affairs.
Other committees are the Parliamentary Service Commission, Education, Research and Technology, Health, Housing, Labour and Social Welfare, Fiscal Analysis and Appropriation (Budget), Library, Catering, Powers and Privileges, Pensions and Pensions Appeal Tribunal.
The House Business Committee which is chaired by Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka chose the committees members.
Speaking on Friday, Mr Okemo said under parliamentary standing orders, it is parties which nominate members to the committees and it is up to Parliament to challenge their composition on the floor of the House.
“If there’s no challenge the names remain. Once a committee is constituted members elect the chairman,” Mr Okemo said. Mr Okemo said a member concerned about a colleague’s presence in the any team “should bring a substantive motion in the House.”
The Nambale MP whose committee is investigating the sale of Grand Regency Hotel said it did not matter whether some of the issues his team was looking into occurred when he was minister noting that “what we do is to look at facts of situation.” On his part, Mr Rege called for the reconstitution of parliamentary watchdogs.
Speaking to the Saturday Nation on phone, Mr Rege, said members of many of the committees were embroiled in scandals such as land grabbing.
But Dr Khalwale said “if there is anybody who should be blamed, it is the voters who sent them to Parliament.”
The Ikolomani legislator dismissed the proposal of some MPs to introduce a motion with the aim of reconstituting the teams. “If any of those bills contradict the Constitution as it is likely to, then they would have wasted their time,” Dr Khalwale said.
Block them
“Not even the Speaker or the Chief Whip can stop anyone from joining the committees. If they have to stop anyone, they should block them from getting into Parliament,” added the MP who moved the motion of censure against former Finance minister Amos Kimunya
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