By Martin Mutua

She is soft spoken but when she stands to make any contributions in the House, members listen.

That is Amina Abdallah, a Kanu Nominated MP.

She is the chairperson of the departmental Committee on Delegated Legislation; a new committee after Parliament reviewed its Standing Orders. Amina chairs the committee jointly with her Mandera Central counterpart Abdikadir Mohammed.

Abdikadir also heads the Committee on Administration of Justice and Legal Affairs that recommended the annulment of President Kibaki’s gazette notice that reappointed Justice Aaron Ringera as the Kenya Anti- Corruption Commission director.

In an interview with The Standard on Sunday, Amina said when the committee came up with the report she vowed to ensure the House does not legislate in vain.

Ms Amina Abdallah

"My work is to ensure that the rule of law is upheld by whichever side of the Coalition Government without fear or favour," she says.

"I knew this was a precedent-setting case. That is why we had to do it right from the word go," she adds.

Amina, a devout Muslim, says the spirit of Ramadhan could not have come at a better time, when one ought to act faithfully and honestly.

She, however, seems to have rubbed her party leader, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta the wrong way.

This is because while she was pushing for the adoption of the report by virtue of being the chairperson of her committee, Uhuru was marshalling MPs to shoot it down.

"I know I have made many enemies particularly within Kanu, but I have no regrets because my only prayer is that the unity of purpose that has united the country has been achieved," she remarks.

She now puts Cabinet ministers and constitutional office holders on notice: They must ensure they operate within the law or their actions would be dealt with in the same manner.

She says her committee has already engaged a researcher to scrutinise all subsidiary legislations that have been gazetted by ministers and other constitutional office holders with regard to appointments to ensure they were done within the law.

She says she has nothing personal against Justice Ringera and is only concerned with the unprocedural manner he was re-appointed.

"If he had applied and his name came up before Parliament, I would have supported him because I believe he is suited for the job," she says.