National Assembly in bid to pick East Africa Legislative Assembly MPs

Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi Photo:Courtesy

The National Assembly renewed the process of picking the country’s members to the East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA), even as the fresh bid divided legislators on the sharing of the nine slots. 

Though the House approved a motion to form a joint select committee that will undertake the advertising for the positions and guide the process of picking the political party nominees, a sharp division on how to share the slots looked imminent, with Jubilee claiming that their current strength in the two Houses guaranteed them six of the nine slots reserved for Kenya.

The fresh attempt came even as the Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi revealed to the House that a legislator from another member State had moved to the East Africa Court of Justice seeking to have a redress against Kenya for stalling the house proceedings.

 Majority Leader Aden Duale opened the new ground for contest between Jubilee and the National Super Alliance (NASA) after he alerted the House that unlike in the last Parliament when Jubilee was entitled to five slots and the then CORD coalition affiliate parties four, the numbers had changed in the 12th Parliament to the advantage of the Majority party.

 The Garissa Township MP further rubbed salt in the wounds of some of the political parties within NASA, particularly Ford Kenya and the ANC, claiming that they could not be considered for a share of the slots as, according to the law, they do not qualify as a parliamentary party.

 According to the Standing Orders, a party must garner at least five percent of the membership of the House to qualify, and earn consideration as a party.

 “There are only three parties who will share the nine slots. Jubilee, ODM and Wiper; out of the nine slots, six belongs to Jubilee, while NASA will share out the other three among their affiliate parties,” said Duale.

 But Suba East MP Junet Mohammed protested, saying the matter must go for arbitration, since in the last Parliament when the slots ought to have been shared, Jubilee should have had five members, while CORD parties were entitled to four.   

 Although other five member states have already submitted their names to the regional Parliament, who have already been sworn in, Kenya’s failure to give her member has held the house to ransom, as the Treaty requires all member states to have their representatives before house business can begin.

 The business of the EALA was to kick off on June 4, but Kenya failed to give its members after Jubilee turned down the list of four presented by NASA, saying the rules required that they bring 12 names from where the House approves three.

Duale told NASA that they must play by the same rules, asking them against picking their relatives to take the positions. But Junet indicated to the House that they will be bringing the names of Raila Odinga’s brother Dr Oburu Oginga and the son of former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, Kennedy Musyoka for consideration.

 Five members from the Assembly were approved to sit in the joint committee, with Kajiado South MP Katoo ole Metito as a co-chairman. Others are MPs Jeremiah Kioni, Jane Kihara, Daniel Maanzo and Florence Mutua.

 The Senate will also form a five member committee to join their National Assembly colleagues.