MPs all set for special day

By NJERI RUGENE nrugene@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Saturday, August 21 2010 at 22:00
In Summary

-Parliament seeks to erase the bad memories from Jan 15, 2008

When they convene for a special sitting this Saturday, the Tenth Parliament will be seeking to reclaim the dignity, augustness and glory lost on its first sitting this term.

If wishes were horses, a large number of MPs would want the events of January 15, 2008, erased from the nation’s history .

It was the day the leaders failed to rise above political brinkmanship at a time when the country was stuck in a very polarised political atmosphere and the violence that still raged in parts of Kenya.

It was a highly charged first sitting that followed a General Election marked by a disputed presidential poll.

The tension at the gathering was heavy and the day’s only business—the election of the Speaker, deputy Speaker and swearing in of Members, was chaotic.

Consequently, the business dragged late into the night as the MPs-elect engaged in arguments ranging from method of voting to cheekiness during the oath-taking session.

Mr Ababu Namwamba, the ODM’s Parliamentary secretary for instance, caused a stir and provoked trouble when he stubbornly refused to pledge loyalty to the President and instead chose to swear allegiance to his party leader Raila Odinga, whom he and the party insisted won the presidential vote.

That, thankfully, is water under the bridge as those that do not like the President need not worry.

The new Constitution now requires that MPs and Senators only pledge their allegiance to the People, the Republic of Kenya and its Constitution.

Mr Namwamba, the MP for Budalangi, moved on from the antics of that first day and is now deputy chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitution Review.

A majority of MPs from the coalition last week expressed confidence in him and chairman Abdikadir Mohammed, at a joint parliamentary group meeting and suggested they lead the yet to be formed Constitutional Oversight Implementation Committee.

Kinangop MP David Ngugi is full of hope that the 10th Parliament will rise above the competition for power by individuals and play its role in implementing the new laws.

“For me, August 28 will be symbolic for this Parliament and a re-birth. I hope to witness an orderly and affirmation of allegiance ceremony bereft of the acrimony and depressing scenes of January 15 (2008),” says Mr Ngugi, a Sisi kwa Sisi MP.

“It will be a new beginning for us, because it is the day the ghosts of that sad day will be exorcised,” he added.

The National Assembly has made comprehensive arrangements for the first ever Parliamentary sitting on a Saturday, (August 28) a day after the new Constitution is promulgated, and the sole agenda will be the swearing in of MPs.

It will be one long day of oath-taking as MPs take fresh oaths of office in line with the new constitution at the 160-seater Old Parliament Chambers.

House Speaker Kenneth Marende will be the first to take the oath, which will be administered by the National Assembly Clerk Patrick Gichohi.

A second round of oathing is also expected to take place at Parliament’s County Hall on the same day as MPs who are members of the Parliamentary Service Commission swear afresh.

SOURCE: NATION