By ALEX NDEGWA and PETER OPIYO
Implementation of Kenya's new Constitution faces further delay after a row in the President’s party held hostage the formation of a crucial parliamentary committee.
On Thursday, PNU members feuded in Parliament over how a proposed list of members of the Constitution Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC) was picked, forcing an adjournment of a Motion that was to endorse the committee to next week.
MPs and ministers from the President’s side of the Coalition Government traded harsh words over party nominees to the committee, fueling a rebellion that also emboldened discontent in ODM, eventually scuttling adoption of the 27-member committee.
Wetang’ula
The row was dragged to outside Parliament, as MPs from PNU traded accusations at different press conferences. And it took a new dimension as MPs from Eastern threatened to pull out of their alliance with other parties in PNU.
PNU allied Assistant Ministers Nderitu Mureithi and Lee Kinyanjui kicked off a storm in Parliament when they raised initial objections to the list tabled by Vice- President Kalonzo Musyoka, the Leader of Government Business.
A heated debate followed, drawing in MPs and Cabinet ministers alike until the Motion was deferred.
At the centre of the row were protests within PNU that Eastern Province got the lion’s share, with five of the 13 positions, which MPs from other regions claimed was "not representative of the face of Kenya".
The House Business Committee headed by the VP was accused of not consulting parties before naming the members.
PNU MPs from outside Eastern Province claimed the committee was stuffed with MPs from the Vice-President’s home province.
Five of 13 members from PNU were given to MPs from Eastern Province, according to the proposed list. ODM will hold 14 slots.
A clash between PNU vice-chairmen Jamleck Kamau and Trade Minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere highlighted leadership wrangles facing PNU.
Kamau had risen to refute an assertion by Metropolitan minister Njeru Githae that PNU had consulted its members, but Mwakwere, who is the party’s first vice-chairman, stood up to back Githae’s position.
Githae angered PNU members when he remarked: "We should not bring the confusion of PNU in this House. In other parties when leader makes a decision members accept it, but in PNU members dispute leader’s position. We must have discipline."
Kamau responded: "I am the senior most member of PNU in the House and I was not consulted. Is Githae, who is my junior in the party, in order to mislead the House that PNU had consulted?"
Mwakwere shot back: "I am the first vice-chairman of PNU and I wish to confirm the list presented represents the position of the party."
disapproved of ‘arrogance’
Labour minister John Munyes, who is Ford-Kenya secretary general, said there were no consultations in PNU, and disapproved of the ‘arrogance’ with which the matter was handled.
At this point Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula stepped in to stop PNU from further washing its dirty linen on the floor of the House, by moving a Motion to defer approval of the list to allow consultations.
"Another day is not too long to give an opportunity for a clean and smooth process. It is important that MPs pass Bills without hesitation or ill will stemming from feeling that they had not been consulted in earlier stages," Wetangula said.
Livestock Assistant Minister Aden Duale, an ODM official, seconded the Motion, saying the Orange party had also not consulted.
Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo, while supporting the postponement of the Motion, said: "It pains me when I see ministers Wetang’ula and Githae expressing contrary views on the floor of the House.
Though this business (formation of committee) is the first about implementation of the new Constitution, if we start on the wrong footing we will remain on the wrong footing."
Earlier, Speaker Kenneth Marende had declined to be drawn into the debate on whether political parties had consulted.
Marende ruled the Chair would not be involved in the "management affairs of political parties".
ODM Whip Jakoyo Midiwo, too, landed in trouble with members for the repeated use of the first person while explaining the party had consulted.
This emboldened the discontent within ODM.
Midiwo further alluded to a delicate tribal balancing act that the VP felt did not serve the cause.
"We didn’t only look at tribal issues, but the constitutional requirement that a third of members are women," Kalonzo said.
"This House is having a date with destiny. We can’t be seen to be prevaricating in our responsibility to give leadership to our people.
The time to implement the new Constitution is now," Kalonzo had said, pleading with MPs to approve the list.
Midiwo seconded the Motion, reminding members that a month had lapsed since proclamation of the new Constitution.
I am not aware
Nderitu, however, sought to block the list on grounds that the House Business Committee had violated the requirement that the list is prepared in consultation with parliamentary political parties.
"I am not aware of any attempts whatsoever at consultations in PNU," the Laikipia West MP said, touching off the debate.
"Members of our own party did not hear of the (PNU) names until today in the newspapers," Kinyanjui said.
Outside Parliament, the row continued as MPs traded accusations at separate press conferences.
PNU members from Eastern Province vowed that people from the region would not relinquish their positions. They vowed to pull out of the PNU coalition should this happen.
Runyenjes MP, Cecily Mbarire, Yatta’s Charles Kilonzo, and Mbiuki Kareke of Nithi, dared the other group to pull their members out and face the consequences of ‘a broken marriage’.
"We are disappointed in particular with Central and Eastern provinces’ reasoning of some MPs that are still based on tribes. After being supported by Eastern, Central, today is on the forefront attacking Eastern, it is unfortunate," said Kilonzo.
"They want Eastern to surrender two posts, but if any name is removed then the marriage is over, because they just want to get slots for their brothers in Rift Valley," he added, in reference to members of Kikuyu community in central Rift Valley.
Mbarire said their region has been treated unfairly given that they have all the time supported Central Province unconditionally, saying they had reached a point of no return.
"We have been treated unfairly. We don’t take this very kindly, if anything changes on Tuesday it is going to have very serious implications, politically," said Mbarire, who is also the Assistant Minister for Tourism.
Mbiuki said, "It is extremely unfortunate because Central has been using us in Eastern as voting machines. We are going to fight all the way.
We’ll never support them if they don’t follow their cousins. Never, never again shall we support them blindly. It is now or never."
But five MPs led by Asman Kamama (Baringo East), said Rift Valley was ignored in the nomination for the committee.
Kamama argued that unlike ODM, which has treated Rift Valley fairly, PNU gave the region a raw deal.
"We are extremely disappointed by the PNU list. Rift Valley is totally ignored, only Turkana County was considered.
At least, ODM gave Rift Valley four slots, PNU gave us one. We want two extra slots. It is a big region that should not be taken for a ride," he said.
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