MPs named to powerful reform team

By NJERI RUGENE, nrugene@ke.nationmedia.com and WALTER MENYA, wmenya@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Wednesday, September 29 2010 at 21:32

Political parties on Wednesday forwarded names of MPs to sit on a key committee that oversees the implementation of the new constitution.

Party of National Unity (PNU) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) submitted 13 and 14 names respectively to the House Business Committee, which met for two hours Wednesday evening.

The 27 names, with only two Cabinet ministers, Chirau Ali Mwakwere (PNU, Trade) and Beth Mugo (PNU, Public Health), will be tabled in the House for endorsement Thursday.

Said joint coalition chief whip Jakoyo Midiwo: “We tried to follow the law in coming up with the names as much as we could.”
The formation of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on the Implementation of the New Constitution is a significant step in the reform process.

Parties, already divided over poor performance in recent by-elections and campaign hangovers from the referendum, were having difficulties agreeing on who should sit in the coveted committee.

MPs had already agreed that the committee will be chaired by Mandera Central MP Mohamed Abdikadir and that his Budalang’i counterpart Ababu Namwamba will be the vice-chair.

Two Bills crucial to the implementation of the new constitution have also been lined up for introduction in parliament.

The Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution Bill and trhe Vetting of Judges and Magistrates Bill would be brought to the House by Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister Mutula Kilonzo.

Earlier on Wednesday, President Kibaki had urged parties to nominate members quickly saying: “We must not allow side-shows to distract us from the implementation of this new dispensation.”

In Parliament, Prime Minister Raila Odinga had the same message, urging leaders to remain focused on the Constitution.

Parliament has to debate and pass 49 laws in the next two years in order to bring the new Constitution into effect.

Speaking at Jamhuri Park where he opened the Nairobi International Trade Fair, the President argued: “To facilitate the birth of this new Republic, we have the responsibility of implementing the new constitution.” Besides, the Provincial Administration is a major point of disagreement within the government with one side led by Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka insisting that it will be restructured and retained.

Another wing of the coalition wants the provincial administration scrapped.

Mr Odinga asked MPs to put aside their 2012 ambitions and focus on implementing the new law.

“You do not contribute an iota of sense by declaring yourself for the position of governor or other positions in 2010, to the contrary you are contaminating debate on implementation,” the PM said.

“This is not the time to act in a partisan manner. We should put aside our partisan interests because we run the risk of interfering with the most important task of anchoring the new constitution with politics on who should run for presidency etc,” he stated.

Yatta MP Charles Kilonzo said Cabinet ministers were still holding positions in political parties, giving Mr Samuel Poghisio, Mr Henry Kosgey and Mr Mutula Kilonzo as examples.

Bahari MP Mr Benedict Gunda expressed concern at differences in Cabinet saying the letter and spirit of the Constitution should be respected.

“The so-called Cabinet sub-committee is churning out a lot of Bills for debate in Parliament yet this should have been left to the implementation commission to do. They are taking over the roles of the implementation commission,” he asked.

On the Vetting of Judges and Judicial Service Bills, the PM said they had very strict timelines to meet and that is why the Minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs, Mr Kilonzo had prepared the Bills in consultation with the AG.

“This is taking in consideration that particular timelines must be met in the process of implementing some sections of the constitution,” he said.

Garsen MP Danson Mungatana said tangible administrative changes were needed.