MP suspended for defaming KRC

Written By:Mary Daraja,    Posted: Wed, Aug 03, 2011

The Kenya Red Cross has been leading relief operations in various parts of the country affected by the ongoing drought and famine The government has defended the Kenya Red Cross Society's interest in investment other than focusing on disaster management and emergency relief. Assistant Minister for Special Programmes Mohamud Ali Mohamed told Parliament Wednesday morning that the society supplements government's efforts in assisting the vulnerable and there is nothing wrong for the organization to seek alternative means of generating income. He was responding to Wajir South MP Mohamud Sirat's question on whether the organization is putting up 5-stars hotels in various parts of the country and its acquisition of more than 3000 acres of land. MPs Gitobu Imanyara, Aden Keynan and Mohammed Affey called on the government to allocate funds for the society and also amend the law to prevent it from running into a financial crisis. However, MPs Charles Kilonzo and Kiema Kilonzo accused Sirat of advancing a personal vendetta against the Kenya Red Cross. They alleged that Sirat is against the humanitarian organization's development programs in his constituency, calling on the Speaker to take action against the legislator. Deputy speaker Farah Maalim suspended Sirat for a day pending a ruling on the matter.