Musila breaks ranks to support Motion

By Martin Mutua

Defence Assistant Minister David Musila who was the first member of the front bench to break ranks with those in support of the Ringera Motion said he was doing so with a clear conscience.

Musila who was interrupted several times by members supporting the Motion said he was first and foremost the MP for Mwingi South and was comfortable remaining that way.

He said in opposing the Motion he had asked himself four questions, which guided his conscience and came to the conclusion that the reappointment of Ringera was improper.

"I asked myself, ‘during Ringera’s tenure has he been successful?’ and the answer was No; ‘What is the mood in the country? Do Kenyans support his reappointment? And the answer was the same,’" he added.

Fight corruption

Musila further said he also asked himself whether Ringera’s reappointment would be useful in the fight against corruption and finally whether he enjoyed the confidence of Kenyans in his work and the answer was in the negative.

"For these four reasons, I made the conclusions that Ringera’s reappointment was not worth it," he added.

Musila further said Ringera had instead destroyed the careers of Kenyans including 23 judges, adding that by his own admission, he was unable to do his work because of the Attorney-General, was reason enough not to allow his reappointment.

"Or does he want to continue earning public money for doing nothing? I think this is not right and he should do the President a favour and save him the embarrassment and resign," he added.

Gichugu MP Martha Karua said Parliament had given itself the powers to annul subsidiary legislation in the new Standing Orders and those dissatisfied with it should amend it.

Karua read the definition of reappointment as indicated in the Concise Oxford Dictionary saying it meant a fresh appointment.

"Mr Speaker, to reappoint is to appoint again, which means you begin from what you did the first time," she added.

The former Justice Minister said the Cabinet’s work was to advise the President and accused those in Cabinet of giving failed counsel to the head of State.

Sycophancy days over

"The days of sycophancy are over and we don’t need to frown because all what the president needs to have been told is that he was wrong and not right," she added.

Karua said she was disappointed by Ringera and his two deputies saying they should have been the ones to reject the appointment.

"I am disappointed by the three because as a commission they are the ones who take people to court for abuse of office yet they themselves allowed to abuse their office by accepting an illegal appointment," she told the House.

Karua said those in Cabinet who had stood out and told the President he was wrong were the real and true leaders that the country desires.