Monday, October 10, 2011

MPs reconvene to try and force out Wetangula



By STANDARD REPORTER
Efforts by MPs to overturn the reappointment of Mr Moses Wetangula as Minister for Foreign Affairs will be a key highlight of Parliament during its next session that begins Tuesday after a month’s recess.
Also hot on the plate of the House is debate on a Bill that seeks to amend the Constitution and set the date of the next General Election. The House adjourned on September 8 with the matter of Wetangula not concluded.
The reappointment of Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula is expected to dominate House debate as Parliament resumes Tuesday. [PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD]
Backbenchers across the political divide are expected to renew their assault on the controversial reappointment of Wetangula following investigations over the controversial purchase of diplomaticproperties in Japan for over a billion shillings several years ago.
The matter came up before Parliament went on recess, when a majority of members of the Cabinet appeared to support the minister’s return into their fold.
Ironically legislators mainly from the president’s Party of National Unity are the most opposed to Wetangula’s reappointment, and will pile more pressure on Prime Minister Raila Odinga to explain the minister’s return to Cabinet despite reports by the Defence and Foreign Relations Committee and Auditor General’s calling him to be investigated for corruption.
On Sunday, a member of the Defence and Foreign Relations Committee Mr Njoroge Baiya accused President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga of "displaying impunity" and declared that debate on Wetangula will be revived in order "to assert the oversight role of Parliament".
The Githunguri MP said Members were justifiably angered by the reappointment because investigation of the Tokyo deal had neither been completed by the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission nor had audit queries raised by the Committee been addressed to the satisfaction of Parliament.
Baiya argued that Wetangula’s return was "a slap in the face against the integrity of Parliament" and added that the MPs’ proposed action against him is not a rebellion against the Cabinet.
"It is not a rebellion. Parliament is playing its mandate. We are asserting our authority and the [Wetangula] matter is certainly going to come back to the House."
Meanwhile Tuesday, Wajir South MP Aden Keynan is expected seek leave of Parliament to discuss the depreciation of the Kenya shilling following its record plunge that raised the cost of living manifold.
When he was brought back to the Cabinet, Committee Chairman Aden Keynan and MPs George Nyamweya and Aden Duale, Baiya and Dr Bonny Khalwale led the opposition to the reappointment of Wetangula accusing the two principals of disregarding a resolution of Parliament on the Tokyo deal that caused Wetangula’s suspension.
Wetangula and Permanent Secretary Thuita Mwangi were suspended last year following revelations of the purchase, apparently authorized outside legal evaluation and procurement procedures.
Motives of the committee
Civil society groups opposed their reappointment and called for their resignation or sacking.
Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula [PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD]
Raila failed to address the matter twice before Parliament’s recess amid confusion on whether KACC had concluded international aspects of the investigation of the purchases in Tokyo.
Many ODM MPs either ignored the debate or challenged the renewed opposition to the minister, as reports emerged that Wetangula is also facing specific pressures from the G-7 alliance and New Ford Kenya.
Defence and Foreign Relations Committee vice-chairman Benedict Gunda was the only ODM legislator to question the reappointment, while Ababu Namwamba of Budalang’i questioned the motives of the committee.
But, Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa said the depreciation of the Kenya shilling and approval of nominees to the IEBC "are the most important priorities for the moment" and appealed to MPs to support Keynan’s motion.
Besides the proposed amendment to cure what Cabinet considers an "impractical" law on gender quotas in elective representation, MPs are also expected to approve the new IEBC and pass laws to implement the new Constitution, including legislation on devolution, land and a statute to create a new spy agency to replace the National Security Intelligence Services.
The proposed National Security Bill has generated immense criticism from civil rights advocates for calling for a new intelligence agency with power to intercept telephone traffic, seize private property, enter private premises and arrest suspects.
They say it is at odds with the Constitution and should not be passed.
The Justice ministry has already published Bills proposing to change the election date to December 17 from the first Tuesday of August and remove a proposal, in the Constitution to reserve a third of elective seats in Parliament for women.
Eugene, and MPs John Mbadi (Gwassi) and Peter Kenneth (Gatanga) and others have opposed the proposed change of date terming it a hypocritical plot.
"There should be a Bill in Parliament to debate election dates," according to Mbadi who said the matter is already in court.
He said he supports the August date and vowed to "oppose any attempt to amend the Constitution and delay the election" even as Kenneth accused proponents of the change of betraying Kenyans who voted for the Constitution.
task force
"All the Kenyans who supported the new Constitution knew the election date is in August. Why are some people trying to change the date back to December?" he asked.
According to the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution, all legislation on land, removal of county governors and members of county assemblies.
Revenues for county governments and transitional and consequential provisions ought to be passed by Parliament by February next year, or 18 months from the August 27 2010 promulgation of the new supreme law.
Two months ago, the Cabinet suspended discussions on laws proposed to manage county government finances following wide differences between a task force appointed by Local Government minister Musalia Mudavadi and Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta.
The two groups drew up rival draft legislation that was shelved to allow for consensus, which has not been achieved.
Reporting by David Ochami
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