The Majority and Minority leadership of the National Assembly has in a rare show of unity recommended the removal of UDA MP Nimrod Mbai as chairperson of the
It followed complaints from Speaker Moses Wetang'ula that the committee has too many pending private bills and motions before it.
"If this situation continues, I will ask the Majority and Minority leaders to consider reconstituting this committee so that it can serve the public," Wetang'ula said.
Neither the Kitui East MP nor members of the committee save for one were present in the House during Tuesday's sitting.
"I don't believe the public is being properly served to have many many petitions committed to the committee and nothing comes back to the House," he added.
Wandayi concurred with the Speaker saying it was not the first time concern was being raised about the work ethic of the Public Petitions Committee.
"Mr Speaker, I think it's the right time to deal with this matter once and for all because as things stand, this is the committee that has got the highest number of issues that come to the floor of this House every single day," he said.
Given the above scenario, Wandayi said the committed should be proactive and be permanently in the House to ensure the petitions committed to it are resolved timely.
He appealed to his Majority counterpart to move with speed and convene a dissolution committee to not only do away with the current Public Petitions Committee leadership but the leaderships of other committees that may be sleeping on their job.
Wetang'ula interjected and said the House leadership should do that in the realization that Kenyans file private petitions and bills because they have hope the issues will be resolved.
"And when their issues come here and queue on end, then we are letting down Kenyans," he said.
Ichung'wah agreed with the sentiments and expressed disappointment that only Baringo Central MP Joshua Kandiye was the only committee member present in the House.
He said this was the second time the House was noting displeasure with Mbai's absence in the House.
"Hon Speaker, I think we will just have no choice now and the members of that committee then need to do the needful."
Ichung'wah said all members of committees and their chairs lobbied to have them elected to the positions and they have no reason not to abscond their duty.
He said the Speaker has on many occasions had to delay the start of House sittings for lack of quorum yet members of the committee alone are 60 in number, enough for the House to start executing its business.
"I'm getting petitions also from ministries on how certain motions and bills are going through the House without the input of the ministries and that is the failure of chairs and vice chairs of committee," Ichung'wah said.
"Therefore Hon Speaker, let me say for the record, I have surrendered. Any chair who does not take their work seriously, members have the liberty to impeach that chair and elect that chair and I will be very available to ensure that that happens, Mr Speaker."