VP accused of backtracking on Ababu no-confidence vote

Tuesday, 10 May 2011 00:06 BY ISAAC ONGIRI

SEEKING SOLUTIONS: Gumbo and Mbadi have called upon the PNU to dialogue to end the stalemate.

TWO ODM MPs yesterday accused vice president Kalonzo Musyoka of fueling wrangles at the parliamentary committee on Legal Affairs. MPs John Mbadi (Gwasi) and John Gumbo (Rarieda) said Kalonzo turned against an agreement they struck to pass a resolution against Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba last week. “We are shocked because the VP chaired a House Business Committee meeting that agreed to have the Legal Committee meeting called off so as more time could be dedicated to solving the problem,” Mbadi said.
The Thursday meeting was called by the committee following a direction by the Speaker to have the committee sort out its difference. Mbadi and Gumbo were addressing a press conference at Parliament Building yesterday.
Six member in-attendance who included MPs Njoroge Baiyia (Githunguri), Abdikadir Mohamed (Mandera Central), Mutava Musyimi (Gachoka), Isaac Ruto (Chepalungu), nominated MPs Aminah Abdullah and George Nyamweya passed a vote of no confidence against Namwamba.
The MPs further revealed that an earlier deal struck to have Namwamba replaced by either Kisumu Town West MP Olago Aluoch or nominated MP Millie Odhiambo as a compromise to the PNU demands collapsed as some committee members returned the next day claiming they had been directed to insist on Rutto as the chairman. “We are also afraid of leaving such a crucial position in the hands of Rutto who vehemently campaigned against the new constituition.That we will not allow,”Mbadi said. The MPs blamed the VP’s lack of honesty to in support of the constitutional change.
Gumbo urged Speaker Kenneth Marende to come to the aid of parliament by ordering a strict observation of the standing orders that allows the party with majority a huge say over committees. “Parties with no parliamentary majority should not even lead a committee that is the practice all over the commonwealth parliarments,” Gumbo said.
Gumbo said that disloyal ODM members should be ejected from the party in the spirit of democracy warning that their continuous stay was hindering the implementation of the constitution.