Party leaders fail to attend meeting to resolve disputes

By Gakuu MathengeKey invitees skipped a critical meeting convened by Speaker of the National Assembly Kenneth Marende in Mombasa to unlock political disputes and stalemates threatening to stall the constitutional implementation process.
The meeting sponsored by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and State University of New York, was put off at the eleventh hour to June 2 after the PM, Raila Odinga, VP Kalonzo Musyoka, Prof George Saitoti, PNU and ODM chief whips and others failed to turn up.
Marende and other participants like former Speaker Francis ole Kaparo, newly elected Centre for Multi-party Democracy (CMD) chairman Justin Muturi, former MPs Peter Oloo Aringo, Martin Shikuku among others, had checked in at the Sarova Whitesands Hotel, only to learn the meeting would not take off.
The PM was attending World Economic Forum in South Africa, while Prof Saitoti was on official duties in Italy. The VP was in Nyeri County on Friday and Saturday.
Remove NamwambaThe meeting bringing together key party leaders and departmental committee members had been expected to provide a platform to resolve escalating political disputes between ODM and PNU, which have seen splits in the House’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee, among others.
The meeting had been convened in a week of high drama after a section of PNU-leaning MPs voted Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba out as chair of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee on Thursday, while ODM issued a statement purporting to "recall" its members from the committee.
The Speaker and the Clerk of the National Assembly declined on Tuesday to honor an agreement to put off a Justice Committee meeting slotted for Thursday to remove Namwamba as chair.
"The House Business Committee chaired by Kalonzo, which the Speaker attended, had resolved that Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o, Mutula Kilonzo and Kiraitu Murungi sit and resolve the committee dispute," Midiwo said.
Hard putHe said ODM would not relent "until a political solution in accordance with the National Accord and Reconciliation Act" was found to end the stalemate.
ODM’s counter-move has been to announce intentions to replace its rebel members—Ruto and Sophia —from the committee, but when that failed, it escalated the dispute by announcing on Thursday that it had ‘recalled’ all five ODM members from the committee.
Midiwo said: "ODM has already given the Registrar of Political Parties evidence to show that Ruto and Sophia are in violation of the Political Parties Act. The Speaker, too, has failed to act on our complaints against these members."PNU official and Nominated MP Mr Nyamweya said: "ODM should make up their minds if they want to continue enjoying privileges as Government members in the Cabinet, while declining responsibility in management of Government affairs."
The ODM will be hard put to make its purported ‘recall’ case, as Standing Order No 198 that creates the House Departmental Committees has no provisions for a party to recall a departmental committee member before the end of the life of Parliament.