Heated debate in House over dewhipping of Sabina Chege

A section of Jubilee leaders led by Sabina Chege address the media at the Parliament buildings. [Elvis Ogina, Standard] National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula will make a ruling on the decision by Azimio la Umoja One Kenya to remove Nominated MP Sabina Chege as Deputy Minority Whip. Wetang'ula did not give the timelines of his decision after heated debate in the House over the matter. The Speaker termed Parliament as a House of order and rules and that the decision on the matter of whether Chege will be removed as the Deputy Minority Whip will be fair and will be according to the law and will set precedence in handling the same in future. "All the honourable members who spoke have a right to support or oppose Sabina Chege depending on their party position, I would like to inform the House that I will come up with a well-reasoned ruling that will set a precedence in handling such matters in future in due course," he said. The Nominated MP (Jubilee) got the backing of Kenya Kwanza and Jubilee MPs while ODM and Wiper lawmakers affiliated to Azimio called on the Speaker to accept her removal following a notification made by Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi. Chege said she was shocked that communication was being done on the floor of the House about her removal as Deputy Minority Whip without her being informed and no Jubilee Party meeting has been held to involve 28 MPs in making the decision on whether she should continue serving in that position or not. The Nominated MP told the House that Jubilee was denied a right of having a Parliamentary Service Commissioner and sought indulgence of members over the letter submitted by Minority Leader to remove her as the Deputy Minority Whip. "Due process was not followed, I am hearing of my removal as Deputy Minority Whip on the floor of the House, when was a meeting held, where are the minutes taken in which members of Jubilee ratified my removal, I would not take it kindly for the Minority Leader trying to intimidate me," she said. Chege said that Jubilee will not allow the position to be taken away since it was the second largest minority party in the House and deserves to get a fair share of their committee position. She argued that Jubilee MPs have the right of association and they cannot be gagged or stopped from working with their other colleagues in the House and they will fight to the bitter end to protect the position. Wandayi said that a meeting of Azimio is not required to make changes but it only required communication by the Minority Leader over the decision of the coalition which was to have her relinquish her position after she decided to work with Kenya Kwanza. "I am calling on the Speaker to announce the decision by Azimio la Umoja coalition to have Sabina Chege leave her position as the Deputy Minority Leader in the House without much debate," he said. Eldas MP Adan Keynan (Jubilee) said that he was yet to see the purported Azimio agreement and that Jubilee is a distinct party they have been denied holding a Parliamentary Service Commission position after nominating Sisiria MP John Waluke. Keynan claimed that all Jubilee MPs have been removed from Azimio WhatsApp group terming the letter by Wandayi as malicious, unconstitutional and uncalled for and the party has a right to participate in parliamentary matters as an independent party. "We will not allow to be blackmailed, we will not allow to be intimidated, we will not accept to be backstabbed, we are here by right and not a favour from anyone, Sabina Chege will not be removed from her position," he said. Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse said that ODM has been on the record for shortchanging leaders working with it over the years and Jubilee members have a right to associate with anyone they want and the matter should be referred back to the party internal dispute resolution mechanism. Deputy Minority Leader Robert Mbui expalained that the purpose of the Whip is to bring together members of the coalition and that once the coalition finds out that a member is not loyal and trustworthy to serve in a certain position it has a right to make necessary changes. National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwah said that due process must be followed before removal from office for the Deputy Minority Whip which Jubilee Party members have made it clear that they have not been consulted. Ichungwah took issue with Mbui for imputing a wrong motive on the capability of Chege who he said had served the people of Murang'a for two terms as their Woman Representative and was now serving her third term as a Nominated MP. "Despite all the injustices committed to me by my former political party Jubilee, I will defend the rights of its members to ensure that they get justice within the Azimio coalition, Women rights must be protected, she made a lot of sacrifices in the last general election," said Chege. Starehe MP Amos Mwago said that members want Jubilee to be recognized as a parliamentary party because they could no longer stand persecution by Azimio and a decision cannot be made for them since they were not involved in the purported meeting. Kitui South MP Rachel Nyamai said that the position held by Chege was negotiated for her efforts during campaigns and there was need to audit the number of committee positions given to Jubilee. She said that Jubilee MPs were not consulted over the intended changes.

Heated debate in House over dewhipping of Sabina Chege

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Heated debate in House over dewhipping of Sabina Chege

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