David Sankok discharged from national cohesion committee

Jubilee Nominated MP David Ole Sankok. [File, Standard]

Jubilee Nominated Member of Parliament David Ole Sankok has been removed from the Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity.

Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi has penned a statement highlighting the discharge of the legislator from the committee. Muturi however did not highlight the reasons behind his ouster, but cited legal framework supporting the removal of a lawmaker from a committee.

“I wish to report to the House that my Office is in receipt of a letter dated September 25, 2020, from the Majority Party Whip, notifying that the Jubilee Party has discharged David Ole Sankok, MP from the select Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity, where he has been serving as a Member,” Muturi said in the statement released on Tuesday.

“…having perused the documents through which the Jubilee Party transmitted the decision to discharge the said Member [Sankok], I am satisfied that the process leading to the discharge met the requirements set out in Standing Order 176.  Accordingly, the discharge of the said Member takes effect immediately,” he added.

Sankok joins a long chain of colleagues who have been removed from various committees in circumstances seen as triggered by political realignments in the country.

In July, Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichungwah was kicked out of the Budget committee as the chair. Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, Embakasi North MP James Gakuya, Manyatta MP Nyaga Muchiri and Bondo’s Gideon Ochanda were also shown the door from the same committee.

The positions were occupied by new entrants such as Kieni MP Kanini Kega who picked to chair the Budget committee as Mercy Gakuya, Kuria Kimani (Molo), Gideon Keter (Nominated) came as his members.

The MPs who were affected in the changes blamed their tribulations on the political choices. Some of them claimed that they were targeted for supporting Deputy President William Ruto’s 2022 presidential bid.

On the other hand, President Uhuru Kenyatta’s allies said changes were meant to enable the Head of State deliver his promises smoothly with the support from Parliament.