By MARTIN MUTUA AND DAVID OCHAMI
Regional rivalries took centre stage as the row over the list of 80 new constituencies raged on in Parliament.
Positions by Members of Parliament on the list were divided along regional lines that ultimately be a pitted Central Kenya leaders and politicians from Eastern Province against those from Rift Valley, Nyanza, North Eastern and Western provinces. Leaders from Coast province who had initially sided with those from Central and Eastern on Wednesday appeared to have moderated on their stance, with one MP from the region stating "they were not badly off", since Coast got five new constituencies out of the eight they had lobbied for.
There was a new twist after Justice Assistant Minister William Cheptumo put up "a sterling performance" in defending the Interim Independent Boundaries Review Commission, even though his boss Mutula Kilonzo had publicly said he disagreed with Andrew Ligale team. In the end, it was an anti-climax for those MPs who had been prepared to confront Mutula in the House, when Cheptumo stood up to defend IIBRC against accusations that it was unfair.
Storm in a tea cup
Prime Minister Raila Odinga who jetted in from India yesterday evening, also pitched for the new list, and dismissed leaders opposed to the IIBRC’s decision.
He described the current dispute as a storm in a teacup, adding that the issue would be resolved soon.
"The IIBRC was given a job and they have done their work. It is not a must that they please everybody. On my side I am happy."
Raila’s position is expected to spark more reactions from those opposed to the list that view the commission’s decision as having favoured some regions.
The premier spoke when he addressed journalists at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on arrival from India.
Yesterday, Government spokesman Alfred Mutua also released a statement defending Head of the Civil Service and Secretary to the Cabinet, Mr Francis Muthaura against allegations that he instructed the Government Printer not to publish a gazette notice listing the new constituencies on Tuesday.
"The Government wishes to deny unfounded allegations that Mr Muthaura stopped the publication of the Independent Boundaries Review Commission’s list of constituencies." the statement read.
 |
"Those making allegations against Muthaura should either produce evidence or apologise and cease to do so at once."
Out of the 80 new constituencies, Central Province got 6 new ones while Rift Valley got the lion’s share with 26. Nairobi, Nyanza and Western got nine constituencies each, while Eastern province got seven.
North Eastern Province got 6 new constituencies while Coast Province got five new constituencies.
Even though majority of MPs from Coast said they were unhappy with the distribution of the new constituencies, a statement by Coast Parliamentary Group chairman Mr Benedict Gunda appeared to give away the fact that some of them were ready to accommodate the IIBRC report.
Gunda said although the region expected to be allocated eight new constituencies by the Interim Independent Boundaries Review Commission (IIBRC), he was happy with the five the team gave Coast.
In Parliament, MPs opposed to the draft who were expected to hammer the IIBRC seemed to rethink their position, after Cheptumo stood up to defend the commission, contrary to expectations that the Justice ministry would disown the report.
At one point, Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau claimed that Kisumu West MP Olago Aluoch helped draft the response to some of the questions.
Stole limelight
Kamau was, however, forced by House Speaker Kenneth Marende to withdraw his statement and apologise. Yesterday, Cheptumo stole the limelight as he kept on answering questions from MPs for over an hour.
Cheptumo told Parliament he does not understand why the Government Printer failed to gazette the list of the new constituencies on Wednesday.
But he said the Government Printer was an independent department not under his ministry.
The office is under the Minister for Internal Security Prof George Saitoti, who was in the House, but remained quiet as no member directed the matter to him.
Cheptumo defended the IIBRC for taking the document to the printer, saying under the new Constitution the commission is independent and not subject to directions by anyone.
"I am very satisfied in the manner in which the Commission undertook its work and even went ahead to forward the same to the Government Printer, as they were within the law," added Cheptumo, to applause by most MPs present.
North Horr MP Chachu Ganya had demanded to know from the minister what criteria the commission used to determine the new units, saying his vast constituency had been given a raw deal.
Cheptumo said it was Parliament that passed the law establishing the Commission and its functions, and they were responsible for their work.
Cheptumo further said the Government Printer was not a respondent to the case alluded to by Mutitu MP Kiema Kilonzo, and as such there was no way they could have been served.
"At the time of the gazettement, there was no court order, and after all the Government Printer was not party to the pleadings, and therefore the issue of a court order does not arise" he added.
Imenti Central MP Gitobu Imanyara told the House that the Government Printer has been mentioned on two occasions in the house in bad light. The Kigumo MP, who tried to cast aspersions on Cheptumo, alleging that the response he was giving had been drafted by Kisumu Town West MP Olago Aluoch, was forced to eat humble pie, withdraw and apologise to Cheptumo, after Marende stepped in.
Kamau had alleged that the house was being treated to the "theatre of the absurdity" claiming that Olago had just informed him that he was the one who had written the response.
At this point Olago on a point of order, denied the allegations, and demanded an apology from Kamau, saying he was neither the PS in that ministry nor an official.
Marende confirmed Cheptumo had ably answered questions in the house and ruled that Kamau had to retract his allegations and apologise to the minister, which he did.
But before the minister could respond, Kiema Kilonzo, on a point of order, rose to seek directions from the chair saying the matter was in court and according to standing order No 80 it was sub-judice to deliberate a matter already in court.
Ikolomani MP Dr Bonny Khalwale said the IIBRC was an important commission, and that this was the reason it was set up by the Serena team.
— Additional reporting by Fredrick Obura
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment