ODM, PNU rift widens over key House team

Photo/FILE Parliament buildings in Nairobi. MPs allied to ODM said they would resist attempts by the PNU wing of government to impose rebel MPs in the ad hoc committee.

By NATION TEAM newsdesk@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Sunday, May 29 2011 at 22:30

The rift between ODM and PNU over the formation of an ad hoc team to vet the Chief Justice, Deputy Chief Justice and Director of Public Prosecutions continues to widen.

The Orange party on Sunday vowed that it would not allow rebel MPs on the team.

Alego Usonga MP Edwin Yinda said ODM would not accept rebel MPs to be included in the committee.

Mr Yinda said the position was made clear by ODM MPs during the kamukunji (informal) meeting in Parliament and they would not back-track on their position.

“ODM agreed in the kamukunji that the two government chief whips come with fresh names that will form the ad hoc committee because they didn’t want to be represented by people with selfish interest,” said the Alego Usonga legislator.

Mr Yinda added that ODM would resist attempts by the PNU wing of government to impose rebel MPs in the ad hoc committee.

ODM chief whip Jakoyo Midiwo said the ODM stand was that PNU presents a list of their nominees and ODM does the same without any political interference.

“We as ODM will not allow the inclusion of people who have disowned the party and are now trying to wreck it from within,” said Mr Midiwo.

According to Gichugu MP Martha Karua, the power game between the two parties is hindering the approval of the names of CJ and his deputy.

“I have started to believe that the two parties are the ones making us not go forward,” she told journalists at Kabare Girls High School on Sunday.

Waste of time

Nairobi Metropolitan minister Njeru Githae said setting up an ad hoc committees was a waste of time.

He maintained that electing a new chairman for the Justice and Legal committee as provided for in the parliamentary Standing Orders was the best way to end the impasse.

However, Tetu MP Francis Nyammo welcomed the formation of the committee, adding that it was in the best interest of Parliament to try what was possible.

Reported by George Munene, Eric Oloo, Maurice Kaluoch and John Njagi