Parliamentary committees leaders elected

By Geoffrey Mosoku

Nairobi, Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta’s key ally Jamleck Kamau beat Igembe South MP Mithika Linturi to chair the crucial parliamentary committee on Energy, Information and Communication.

Kamau, who is the Kigumo MP, garnered 13 votes to Linturi’s 10, in an election that saw only Jubileefielding candidates.  

Keiyo South MP Jackson Kiptanui ( TNA) trounced Karachuonyo MP James Rege by 19 to 4 votes to become vice chairman. 

Former Standard journalist Ayub Savula (UDF) was elected chairman of the Agriculture Committee unopposed.  Savula, the Lugari MP, will be deputized by Maara MP Kareke Mbiuki ( TNA).

Starehe MP Maina Kamanda was elected chair of Transport committee and he will be deputized by Eng. Mahmoud Mohamed of URP.

The polls which were held in parliament buildings once again saw Jubilee unleashing its tyranny of numbers and captured almost all the positions on offer.

  Jubilee is set to control all the committees save for the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and Public Investments Committee (PIC).

The two oversight committee will hold their elections Tuesday morning, with CORD MPs Ababu Namwamba, John Mbadi, Manson Nyamweya and Omondi Anyanga having been mentioned as some of the contenders for chair of PAC.

Leader of Majority Aden Duale said Jubilee was determined to run away with all the committees even as CORD appeared to be resigned to fate.

“So far we have won all the 14 committees that have had elections and the trend will continue to the lastcommittee,” Duale said adding that committee is expected to complete their exercise by Thursday.

Minority Leader Francis Nyenze said Cord had to accept playing their role in the committee through membership as it was hard to defeat Jubilee; with opposition chief whip Gideon Mungaro adding that Cord will only field a candidate here Jubilee has two or more candidates.

Muranga Women Representative Sabina Chege of TNA was elected chair of the Education Committee with Melly Kibiwott (URP) becoming chair. Narc’s Rachael Nyamai will chair the Health committee, while Endebess MP Robert Pokose (URP) is vice chair.

Newcomer Ndung’u Githinji (Tetu- TNA) and Fafi’s Barre Shill of URP were elected unopposed as chairman and vice chairman respectively of the Defence and Foreign Relations Committee.

Ainamoi’s Benjamin Langat of URP and Nelson Gaichuie of Subukia ( TNA) were also picked unopposed as chairman and vice chair of the Financecommittee restrictively.

TNA nominated MP Amina Abdalla was elected chair of the Environment with youthful Emgwen MP Alex Kosgey becoming her vice chair.

Duale said before beginning to perform their duties, thecommittee will head for a retreat where MPs will be trained on the workings of the committees given that ministers will no longer be coming to parliament.

The majority leader also said that, among the first business of the committees, will be the interrogation of budgetary estimated that were tabled in parliament recently.

The committee members will also be inducted on the procedure of summoning public officers for interrogation while the Legal Affairs Committee is slated to vet Deputy Chief Justice Nominee Justice Kalpana Rawal.

 The Committee on National Security which will hold its polls today will also vet Secretary to Cabinet Francis Kimemia after completing their exercise.