Jubilee drops Shebesh, supports Sakuda for chief whip

Kajiado west MP Moses ole Sakuda. (Photo:Standard)

By Geoffrey Mosoku

Nairobi, Kenya: Members of Parliament allied to Jubilee alliance have agreed to appoint Kajiado west MP Moses ole Sakuda as the ruling coalition chief whip.

The deal was struck last week after deputy president-elect William Ruto prevailed on Nairobi Women Representative Rachel Shebesh to step down.

“Our Deputy President explained to us in Naivasha that minority and marginalized communities have to benefit from some of the parliamentary positions,” Nairobi senator Mike Sonko said.

Sonko said that Nairobi MPs who were vouching for Shebesh had accepted to drop out their demands so as to accommodate other communities.

“We wanted one of our own as Nairobi leaders to get the seat but after the meeting, we have resolved to support someone from the marginalized communities,” he said.

In the deal, an MP from the Maa community, ostensibly Sakuda is designated to become chief whip with Taveta MP Dr. Naomi Shaban set to become deputy majority leader.  URP’s Aden Duale (Garissa Township) will assume the position of majority leader.

“The Maa community leaders agreed to support Sakuda for chief whip with Katoo ole Metito fighting to chair the parliamentary departmental committee on security and administration,” Maara MP Kareke Mbiuki said.

On Tuesday, Sakuda said he was elated by the deal of Jubilee to make him chief whip.

“I am happy that the coalition has proposed to appoint me as chief whip.”

URP is set to feel the position for deputy chief whip even as MPs continued to lobby for various committee memberships.

Kitutu Chache North MP Jimmy Angwenyi (TNA) has received support across the Cord and Jubilee coalitions to serve as deputy chairman of the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC).

Angwenyi is popular among legislators due to his vocal voice in articulating the welfare of MPs especially in regards with the proposed reduction of their salaries. He was vowed to push for salary increment once the hose resumes.

Angwenyi was recently heard telling MPs that the hefty salary that the tenth parliament enjoyed was as a result recommendations of the of Majid Cockar commission. “If over ten years ago when the revenue collection was about 250 billion the commission recommended that salary, how can the Salaries and Remuneration Commission reduce the amount at a time when the country’s revenue has increased to a trillion?”

Rachuonyo MP James Rege is fighting to retain the chairmanship of the energy and communications committee which he chaired in the last parliament while Mbiuki wants the powerful Agriculture committee.

Kitutu Chache South MP Richard Onyonka wants to chair the powerful foreign relations and defence committee formerly chaired by Aden Keynan.  There are 21 key committees of the house.

By Tuesday, parties were yet to forward names of members who will sit in the selection committee to appoint members to various committees.

Parliament is also expected to name members who will sit in the powerful Appointment Committee which will be tasked with vetting cabinet nominees and other key appointments by the executive.

The committee must be in place by Thursday, seven days after the house was convened last week and is chaired by house speaker Justin Muturi.