TURF WARS

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Turf wars between the Executive and Legislature played out at a consultative conference between the Ministry of Roads and MPs.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga kicked up the storm when he told MPs Parliament had no capacity to investigate the Executive, instead pointing out that the Prime Minister’s Office had several departments that could handle complaints touching on governance.

He said the Efficiency Monitoring Unit and Inspectorate of State Corporations could deal with such complaints.

National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende, who addressed the more than 30 MPs long after Raila had left the workshop, stressed that Parliament’s roles of oversight, representation and legislation were constitutional and that the Executive must learn to live with them.

At the centre of the subject were the tender and procurement processes at constituency levels regarding the construction of constituency roads.

The PM, who was the official guest at the function, pointed out that some of the road projects had been delayed as contractors who fail to get tenders use MPs to frustrate the completion of such projects.

Not categorical

Though he was not categorical, the PM said he had been told of instances where MPs were paid to ask specific questions on tendering processes in "a cash-for-question" deal.

He told them at times MPs raised a question in Parliament regarding such contracts and since question time was limited, they referred the matter to the Public Procurement and Oversight Authority that might decide to suspend the contract for three to four months, hence delaying completion of such projects.

"I told the Speaker that Parliament has no capacity to investigate," Raila told the MPs, amid grumbling. "I want to repeat this because I have been a member (MP)."

At this point, the visibly displeased MPs silently protested, with Gichugu MP Martha Karua overheard saying: "Can we ask questions?"

But Roads Minister Franklin Bett appealed to the MPs to wait for the plenary session as dictated by the programme.

Raila did not wait to face the MPs during the plenary session, but Ms Karua later termed the PM’s address tantamount to "a lecture".

Ikolomani MP Bonny Khalwale termed the PM’s remarks shocking, saying Parliament’s oversight role should not be underrated. He said the Executive must be tolerant.