Friday, May 6, 2011

MPs eject Namwamba as ODM quits

File |  NATION ODM secretary-general Anyang’ Nyong’o (left) and Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba at a recent party function. Prof Nyong’o announced on May 05, 2011 that the party had withdrawn its members from the House legal affairs committee.
File | NATION ODM secretary-general Anyang’ Nyong’o (left) and Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba at a recent party function. Prof Nyong’o announced on May 05, 2011 that the party had withdrawn its members from the House legal affairs committee.
By  LUCAS BARASA lbarassa@ke.nationmedia.com AND BERNARD NAMUNANE bnamunane@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Thursday, May 5 2011 at 22:00
In Summary
  • Members of legal affairs committee fire the chairman but rivals call for political solution

The House Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs on Thursday passed a vote of no confidence in its chairman, Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba, even as ODM announced it had pulled its members from the team.
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ODM declared it had withdrawn its members awaiting a political solution to the crisis.
ODM secretary-general Anyang’ Nyong’o, accompanied by 10 MPs, convened a press conference at Parliament Buildings, where he announced the withdrawal of ODM Member of Parliament from the committee, including the rebel legislators, to allow for a political resolution by the two parties.
But PNU’s George Nyamweya countered the ODM line, stating, the crisis that had hit the committee was an outcome of the conduct of Mr Namwamba — the individual — as committee chair and not a coalition row.
Mr Nyamweya said those behind the withdrawal of ODM MPs were being driven by sinister motives.
“This is not a political issue. We had no issue with ODM at all. We had an issue with Mr Namwamba as a person chairing the committee. This is a show of anger and the issue has never been a PNU or ODM matter,” he said.
On his part, Prof Nyong’o said: “The ODM has decided to withdraw with immediate effect all our MPs who are members of the departmental committee on Justice and Legal Affairs to give the party and its coalition partner the PNU Alliance time to resolve the crisis facing that committee politically.”
It is not clear whether dissenting MPs Isaac Ruto and Sophia Abdi will abide by the announcement.
Prof Nyong’o, the Medical Services Minister, said ODM had written to National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende and clerk Patrick Gichohi informing them of the withdrawal.
“We are ready to sit down with our coalition partner to discuss the issues. We should not bring to Parliament issues that can be resolved politically outside,” Prof Nyong’o said.
But Mr Nyamweya, a PNU Nominated MP, said the committee met yesterday in the morning in the presence of Mr Gichohi and passed a vote of no confidence in Mr Namwamba. Prof Nyong’o had said the meeting could not go on without ODM members.
“Following directions from the Speaker to the Clerk, we held a meeting this (yesterday) morning and we passed a vote of no-confidence in Mr Namwamba. We were not aware of withdrawal of ODM members. We are now expecting the Liaison Committee to facilitate the election of a new chairman,” he said.
The Liaison Committee, which guides and co-ordinates the operations, policies and mandates of all committees, and is chaired by deputy Speaker Farah Maalim, has failed in its attempts to resolve the issue.
On Thursday, Prof Nyong’o and Kisumu Town West MP Olago Aluoch differed with Mr Nyamweya and former MP Justin Muturi over the consequences of the withdrawal of ODM members from the committee.
Other members of the committee are Njoroge Baiya, Mutava Musyimi, Abdikadir Mohamed, George Nyamweya, Eugene Wamalwa, Millie Odhiambo and Olago Aluoch.
Prof Nyong’o and Mr Aluoch argued that the bid to dislodge Mr Namwamba from the helm of the committee was political and has to be solved by PNU and ODM.
But Mr Nyamweya and Mr Muturi argued that the withdrawal was inconsequential since it went against the House rules, which state that a member of a committee can only quit if he or she is appointed to government or resigns.

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