Speaker Justin Muturi fires MP, saves five others from Jubilee jaws

Mbita MP Millie Odhiambo and Ruaraka’s TJ Kajwang’ after they were thrown out for interrupting President Uhuru Kenyatta’s State of the Nation Address. Kajwang’ was kicked out of the Speaker’s Panel. [PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD]

Opposition MPs failed to convince Speaker Justin Muturi to retain one of their troops in the powerful Speaker’s Panel.

It was a difficult task for the Opposition, because that MP, Tom Kajwang’, was among those who heckled President Uhuru Kenyatta during his State of the Nation address a fortnight ago.

Kajwang’ defied direct orders of Speaker Muturi to observe decorum. To Jubilee lawmakers, that was unforgivable. Muturi agreed. That was the stick.

But at the same, the Speaker rejected an attempt to mete further punishment on five other Opposition MPs who heckled the President. In an unexpected turn, Muturi said, he kicked them out that afternoon on March 31, and any further penalties was “up to their conscience”. That was the carrot.

Muturi wielded the big stick at a meeting of the House Business Committee on Tuesday night and dangled the carrot on Thursday afternoon in the House.

In the Tuesday evening meeting of the powerful House Business Committee, CORD’s parliamentary leaders Jakoyo Midiwo (Gem), Chris Wamalwa (Kiminini) and Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay) flashed the double jeopardy card in an attempt to let Kajwang’ off the hook.

“We tried to say that Kajwang’ had already been punished, and that kicking him out of the Speaker’s Panel would amount to double jeopardy – punishing someone twice for the same offence. But they didn’t listen,” a CORD House leader told The Standard on Sunday.

Kajwang’ was a member of the Speaker’s Panel, but when he breached Standing Orders — which he is required to enforce whenever he presides over House sittings — the Jubilee MPs said he had lost the respect to maintain order in the House.

When Peter Kaluma (Homa Bay Town) heard that Kajwang’ had been fired, he went to the Standing Orders and realised that Muturi could not simply drop Kajwang’ from the Speaker’s Panel. He signed off a one-page letter to Speaker Muturi on Thursday morning.

His view was that the Standing Orders presumed that before Kajwang’ was removed, there would be room for him to be heard, to defend himself, and then the decision for his dismissal will be discussed and adopted on the floor of the House.

“The Speaker has written to the Minority Leader asking him to submit a fresh name. He doesn’t have the power to do so, because the Standing Orders expect that a removal of a member from the Panel will have to be ratified by the House,” Kaluma said.

When he missed Muturi at his office, Kaluma confronted the Speaker at the House.

But Muturi refused to be drawn to respond to letters on the floor of the House.

“I will respond to your letter, don’t worry, I will respond fully, but not here,” said Muturi.

But when the Jubilee MPs handed Muturi the prime chance to punish the CORD MPs who heckled and blew whistles in the House, Muturi said “it was time for healing”.

Anthony Kimaru (Laikipia East) had pinpointed John Mbadi (Suba), Wanga (Homa Bay), Kajwang’ (Ruaraka), Simba Arati (Dagoretti North) and Fred Outa (Nyando) as MPs who “misbehaved” when they blew whistles inside the debating chamber and interrupted the presidential address for 30 minutes.

But Muturi insisted that the punishment meted out on that day was sufficient, or else it would amount to double jeopardy.