By Moses Njagih
Nairobi, Kenya: Senate Majority Leader Prof Kithure Kindiki has said the Jubilee Government is seeking consensus among members eyeing similar committee chairmanship positions.
This, he said, was in a bid to avoid losing leadership to minority Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) in today’s (Thursday) elections.
The two coalitions of the Senate will be engaged in a face-off when the polls for the leadership of crucial committees get underway Thursday morning, with the Government side seeking to take command of all the 13 committees.
Though the Jubilee coalition that is now boosted by Senators allied to the Amani coalition have the numbers to ensure they win the positions, internal competition is threatening to divide the numbers, which could work to the advantage of members of CORD.
It is for this reason that Kindiki said they would be working out a way to stem internal competition among their members eyeing the same positions and avoid losing the positions to the minority side.
Reached consensus
He said his team will have to reach a consensus on who to support in all the committees.
“We first wanted members to declare their interests and campaign but since we realise that in some committees we have more than one candidate, we will have to build consensus so that we do not lose these seats to our competitors who are the minority,” said Kindiki.
Two positions, that of chair of committee on Devolved Government and that of National Security and Foreign Relations were negotiated during the Jubilee retreat in Naivasha for Elgeyo/Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen and Yusuf Haji, respectively.
Murkomen was promised the position after President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto prevailed upon him to withdraw his candidature for Chief Whip in the interest of regional balance, since Bomet Senator Charles Keter had been given deputy Leader of Majority position.
One of the committees where the Government side will have to build consensus is Energy, Roads and Transportation Committee, where former Energy minister and now Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi will be internally battling it out with Baringo Senator Gideon Moi.
Powerful committee
Sources have indicated that former Public Works Minister and Kisii Senator Chris Obure will also be seeking to chair the same committee, forcing the Government team to work out a compromise to avoid losing the powerful committee to the Opposition.
Former Information minister and Nyeri Senator Mutahi Kagwe and Kirinyaga’s Daniel Karaba who was the chairman of the Education Committee in the ninth Parliament, will be battling for the amalgamated committee on Education, Information and Technology.
Contestants
Former Attorney General and Busia Senator Amos Wako will be contesting for the Legal Affairs and Human Rights Committee against his competitor, Stephen Sang.
Former Labour minister and Turkana Senator John Munyes will compete with Isiolo’s Mohammed Kuti in the contest for Health, Labour and Social Welfare Committee.
Mandera’s Billow Kerrow and Kakamega’s Bonny Khalwale will be seeking the Finance, Commerce and Economic Affairs committee chairmanship.
