- She is accused of not toeing the coalition line and instead advancing Deputy President William Ruto’s 2022 presidential agenda.
- Minority Whip Junet says party positions and privileges must at all times be used to serve the party.
Image: /FREDRICK OMONDI
The National Super Aliance on Thursday okayed the process to recall Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa as the coalition’s representative to the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC).
In a well-attended NASA parliamentary group meeting at Parliament chambers, the 108 opposition MPs unanimously voted to kick out Jumwa from the influential commission.
She is accused of not toeing the coalition line and instead advancing Deputy President William Ruto’s 2022 presidential agenda.
NASA has proposed Likoni MP Mishi Mboko to replace Jumwa once the process of removing her is concluded.
“The process to remove her has started today and we will conclude it soon,” Minority Leader John Mbadi said after the afternoon meeting.
“Party positions and privileges must at all times be used to serve the party. Those who have been elected or nominated by the coalition must therefore – at all times – understand what the coalition position is on any issue,” added Minority Whip Junet Mohamed.
NASA also voted to replace Deputy Minority Whip Chris Wamalwa (Kiminini) with Ford Kenya secretary general Eseli Simiyu (Tongaren).
“Party/coalition discipline is non-negotiable. We must end the culture of leaders benefiting from the strength and support of the party or coalition, then, at their pleasure, decide to sabotage the same party,” Junet warned.
Those dewhipped will remain without committees for the next six months when the NASA PG will sit to review whether to lift the sanctions or not.
Silvanus Osoro (South Mugirango, KNC) was removed from the Agriculture and Implementation committee, Nakara Lodepe (Turkana Central) lost his membership to the Defence and Relations Committee while Catherine Wambilianga (Bungoma Woman Rep) was removed from three committees – Labour, Education and Selection.
Vincent Kemosi (West Mugirango, Ford Kenya) was removed from Transport and Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Committee while Ugenya MP David Ochieng (MDG) was dropped from the Health committee.
Tindi Mwale will lose his membership in three committees – Energy, Delegated Legislation and Selection- while Paul Katana (Kaloleni, ODM) and Badi Twalib (Jomvu, ODM) were removed from Investments committee and Budget and Appropriations committee, respectively.
Tindi, speaking moments after the PG, accused Junet of punishing him for refusing to ditch Musalia Mudavadi’s ANC for ODM.
“The reality is that Junet has been asking me over time that I leave my party and join ODM. He kept telling me that so long as I am still loyal to Musalia then I will lose my committees,” Tindi said.
“Let ODM keep their committees. I am no longer interested in their committees.”
ANC had fronted Tindi for consideration to the Energy and Delegated Legislation committees.
Junet clarified that Bondo MP Gideon Ochanda was not facing any disciplinary action and that he was only being transferred from the Budget and Appropriation committee to Education.
Earlier, the Bondo lawmaker protested Junet’s move to parade him on Wednesday alongside MPs who are facing disciplinary action, claiming he was being targeted for his stand on the Siaya gubernatorial seat.
“There are people who are already lining up that they are the party candidates - one is governor and the other senator - so they want everybody to support, which I am not going to do. I am still not going to support that even if they malign me,” Ochanda said on the phone.
“Siaya has suffered in terms of gubernatorial leadership. We will not accept anybody who cannot perform to be a governor of Siaya after the 10 years of non-performance.”
Edited by Henry Makori