MPs allied to President Uhuru Kenyatta raise storm at CS Anne Waiguru grilling

National Assembly’s Finance Committee members led by chairman Benjamin Langat (right) cool down tempers when Devolution CS Anne Waiguru appeared before them at Parliament Buildings Tuesday. [PHOTO: MOSES OMUSULA/STANDARD]

NAIROBI: A parliamentary committee meeting questioning Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru over alleged procurement irregularities and an attempt to steal Sh800 million at the National Youth Service (NYS) degenerated into a shouting match between MPs from the two main coalitions.

After days of confrontation on the fate of the CS, whom the Opposition demanded must step aside over the attempted fraud at NYS through alleged system password theft, Waiguru’s appearance before MPs sparked drama in Parliament.

Calm prevailed as Waiguru, whom the ruling Jubilee led by the President has insisted was not under investigation, read a written statement responding to the queries.

She defended herself and explained that she had invited detectives after the attempted fraud was detected. But trouble began when the turn came for members of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Finance, Trade and Planning to ask her questions.

Immediately Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi started detailing the questions, the session erupted in shouts, boos and jeers; with almost 40 MPs from mainly the ruling Jubilee Coalition joining forces with two Orange Democratic Movement MPs to interrupt him.

The most vocal Jubilee MPs included Maina Kamanda (Starehe), Ferdinard Waititu (Kabete), Dennis Waweru and Johnson Sakaja (Nominated). Kamanda and Waititu had attended the session as ‘friends of the committee’.

The MPs further took turns to praise the CS for her good work and asked her to request more funds, which they said they would promptly approve.

Deputy House Speaker Joyce Laboso watched quietly as the session turned acrimonious. Committee Chairman Benjamin Langat had a difficult time trying to control the MPs.

Kisumu Central MP Ken Obura and his Kitutu Chache South counterpart Richard Onyonka, both of ODM, joined the Jubilee MPs in shouting down their counterparts, who tried in vain to put the CS to task over the NYS saga.

At one point after the heated exchanges, Wandayi, who had raised the question that brought Waiguru to the House committee, walked out in protest as it became increasingly clear that the pro-Waiguru forces could not allow him to field his questions.

Trouble began after the CS read her written response when as per Standing Orders, Wandayi was given the floor to interrogate the reply.

Responses from the CS were followed by claps from the MPs while questions for her were interrupted through shouts and name-calling.

As the Ugunja MP lined about six clarifications, Onyonka, who was seated directly opposite him, began shouting at him and prompted angry exchanges with ODM MP Oburu Odinga (Nominated).

RAILA’S NAME

Oburu was furious when Onyonka dragged the name of Coalition for Reforms and Democracy leader Raila Odinga into the raging feud. An angry Onyonka told off Oburu, telling him he was just a nominated MP and was not representing anyone.

“Please do not drag Raila’s name into this,” Oburu told Onyonka, who shouted back: “Exactly. That is the name and in any case, I am an elected member and represent my constituency while you are just a nominated MP.”

MPs who are not members of the committee attended as ‘friends of the committee’ but it soon turned out their ‘mandate’ was to shield Waiguru as they were seen walking to shake her hand in congratulation after their contribution.

“It is becoming increasingly clear that we are deviating from parliamentary practice where MPs are now praising the CS instead of asking questions. This is unacceptable Mr chairman and I won’t be intimidated by busybodies,” Wandayi charged amid protests.

Kitutu Masaba MP Timothy Bosire accused the MPs of having vested interests and showing up in the committee in their numbers to support Waiguru.

“Members here appear to have vested interests and violating Standing Orders,” he said, attracting the wrath of Kamanda, who told him to follow Wandayi by also walking out.

Waiguru sat still amid the chaos but had from time to time tried to respond to some of the questions while others went unanswered.

She insisted that no money was lost as the Integrated Financial Information System flagged the alleged fraudulent transaction. But she failed to answer questions as to whether officers who are under investigations for the attempted crime had been suspended to pave way for an impartial probe.

The CS, who was accompanied by senior officers and aides led by Principal Secretaries Peter Mangiti and Mwanamaka Mabruk, downplayed reports of power struggles within the NYS structures.

“As such, it’s not uncommon to find differing points of view, styles, work or even just preference within an institution that has a contingent of over 30,000 officers. What is more important however is to know those differences in opinion, differences of style and differences of personality do not hamper the smooth running of an institution,” she said.

The CS refuted claims that NYS recruits had been mobilised to demonstrate in the streets of Nairobi and Kisumu in her support. Wandayi had sought to know who allowed and funded the hundreds of youths who held a public protest donning NYS t-shirts.

But the CS said none of those who participated in the demonstrations were from the disciplined forces, pointing to the jungle green uniform that she explained identified NYS personnel.

Earlier, Obura had defended the protests, terming the youth as patriotic Kenyans who had come up to support a noble cause.

Sakaja and Kitutu Chache North MP Jimmy Angwenyi wanted the CS to quantify damage done to NYS funded projects in Kibera.