DP Ruto allies removed from Senate committee chairmanships

Senate Majority Whip Irungu Kang'ata.

Jubilee Senators allied to Deputy President William Ruto have been removed as chairpersons of Senate committees as the purge on the party's rebel legislators continues.

The senators who have been kicked out include, Samson Cherargei (Nandi), John Kinyua (Laikipia), Mithika Linturi (Meru) and Senator Christopher Lang'at (Bomet).

In the new changes, Sen. Christopher Lang'at was replaced by Nairobi's  Johnson Sakaja at the Senate Business Committee. Lang’at also lost his position as the Education Committee chairman to Sen. Alice Milgo.

Sen. Cherargei, an ardent supporter of DP Ruto was also removed as chairman of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee as Sen. Linturi also lost his post at County Public Accounts and Investment Committee.

Senator Kinyua also lost his post as the chair of the Devolution Committee and has been moved to ICT Committee to replace West Pokot Senator Samuel Poghisio who was named the Senate Majority Leader.

Also affected in the changes were former Deputy Speaker Kindiki Kithure and former Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen who were named to seat in the Justice and Legal Affair Committee and the Devolution Committee respectively.

The changes, according to the newly installed Senate Majority Whip Irungu Kang'ata have been communicated to the Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka for the immediate implementation.

Jubilee Party also announced that it had grilled three of its senators who missed a senate PG convened by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The senators, who now risk expulsion from the party if found guilty of misconduct include; Falhada Dekow Iman, Naomi Jillo Waqo, Victor Prengei, Mary Seneta Yiane and Millicent Omanga.

During a media briefing, Senator Kang’ata said three senators had so far appeared before the disciplinary committee to defend themselves.

The committee is expected to communicate their decision to the Speaker. Two other senators will also be given a chance to defend themselves later.

Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju said that the party was out to deal with errant members who had gone against their fidelity to the contracts.

“We will not be merciful when it comes to discipline in the party. But I want to tell Kenyans whatever disciplinary action will have taken, we will follow due process,” he said.

To stamp the party's no-nonsense mien, Tuju said its disciplinary mechanism would not be gentle with rebels some of whom had gone to the extent of using fake party stationery in their mischief.

He said the party had also communicated all its changes to the Speaker of the Senate and the Registrar of Political Parties, the latter being informed that there was no need to re-gazette Jubilee's new National Management Committee (NMC) Members as the situation had not changed on the ground.

To firm the fait-accompli, Tuju announced that NMC would meet tomorrow (Wednesday) to prepare an agenda for the party's National Executive Committee that would meet in due course under the chairmanship of party leader President Uhuru Kenyatta.

As things moved at a dizzying phase, Speaker Lusaka gazetted Friday's removal of Prof Kindiki as his deputy and the election of a successor on June 2.