By Martin Mutua
Nairobi, Kenya: Jubilee coalition has finally accepted to cede chairmanship of two parliamentary watchdog committees to Cord, The Standard has learnt.
However, the two committees namely the Public Accounts Committee and the Public Investments Committee that are charged with auditing Government expenditure will have majority of membership from Jubilee team.
Sources told The Standard that tension packed House Business Committee chaired by Speaker Justin Muturi as it deliberated the matter until late into the night on Tuesday.
The names of members of the two committees will, therefore, be tabled this afternoon when the House reconvenes for business.
“There was heated exchange. We had to sit up to 10pm on Tuesday before we resolved the matter,” added a source that attended the meeting but preferred anonymity.
The source said the meeting blamed the previous administration of Parliament headed by former Speaker Kenneth Marende of changing the Standing Orders to give the government majority and chairmanship of the two committees.
“We do not understand why those who changed those Standing Orders did so but it seems it came to haunt them again,” added the source.
The move is reminiscent of another one in the Seventh Parliament where the former Kanu regime changed the Standing Orders on the membership of the two committees only for the same to haunt them during the Eighth Parliament.
