Rift’s ousted MPs now want court to punish Jubilee

National Assembly Labour Committee Chairman Alfred Keter(L) with other committee members before he was voted out at Parliament on Tuesday. [Photo by Boniface Okendo/Standard]

Four MPs kicked out as leaders of various House committees on Tuesday want Jubilee Party punished for disobeying court orders.

The legislators who were ousted as committee chairmen – Alfred Keter (Nandi Hills), James Gakuya (Embakasi North), Silas Tiren (Moiben), and Kangogo Bowen (Marakwet East) – yesterday told Justice George Odunga that the party broke the law by pushing them out while the matter was still in court.

The decision to kick out the four lawmakers from the positions they clinched against the directives of the ruling party continues to elicit mixed reactions from leaders and residents of the Rift Valley.

Keter was elected Labour Committee chairman, Tiren was to head the Agriculture and Livestock Committee, Gakuya the Broadcasting Committee, and Kangogo was elected vice chairman of the Environment, Water and Mineral Resources Committee, against their party’s wishes.

On Tuesday, the MPs were all dethroned after Jubilee MPs belonging to their various committees passed a motion of no confidence against them.

Yesterday, through their lawyer, Frank Waluke, they claimed that the orders of the court were still alive, therefore their party ought to have maintained the status quo until the case challenging their de-whipping was heard and determined.

The MPs want the party led by President Uhuru Kenyatta punished for stripping them of the positions and ordered to reinstate them.

Court’s dignity

“It is, therefore, clear and evident that the court’s dignity and authority is being questioned as the respondents herein are keen on by-passing the express orders issued by this court,” the judge was told.

Jubilee’s lawyer, Noah Mungatana, disputed the claims, saying there were no prayers before the court to stop the MPs' removal from the committees.

He argued that the court did not have any powers to issues orders as the four MPs by-passed internal dispute resolution processes.

The judge allowed an application by Emgwen MP Alex Kosgey, who claimed that he also feared being de-whipped.

Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi also joined the suit, siding with Jubilee.

The speaker argued that the court could only intervene if the four lawmakers expended the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanism and the Political Parties Tribunal.

In the North Rift region, MPs Joshua Kutuny (Cherangany) and Christopher Nakuleu (Turkana North) disagreed with their Aldai counterpart, Cornelly Serem, on the impact of the decision to oust the lawmakers from the helm of the committees.

Kutuny and Nakuleu warned that the move was likely to cause cracks in the ruling party, but Serem downplayed the issue.

Ruling party

The Cherangany MP said inasmuch as he was against the bid by his colleagues to run for the positions, he did not like how the party handled the issue. 

However, Mr Serem said the Jubilee leadership meant well and urged leaders to put aside personal interests that might divide the country.

Some residents of Uasin Gishu County, an agricultural region, said they would support the ousted leaders and termed the party's action'an injustice by the Executive'.

National Assembly

“The members of Parliament in the committees voted for the leaders because they believed in them and were sure they could deliver,” said Cosmas Ruto, a resident.

Kimwetich Danvas said: “I am totally in support of Keter and Tiren. When will the autonomy of the National Assembly be given space to function? I applaud the NASA MPs for not taking part in the ouster.”