Parliament resumes sittings on Tuesday after a two-month Christmas break that has been characterised by unprecedented political intrigues that could polarise the business of the two Houses, and the country.
While the budget-making process and the Supplementary Budget are the urgent businesses in the in-tray of the two Houses, it is, however, the implosion in Jubilee Party that provides mouth-watering prospects and provides a hint of the interesting times that await the Houses.
The 2018/19 Budget Policy Statement, the Supplementary Budget and a number of government bills that are key in the implementation of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four Agenda are among the crucial businesses Parliament will consider once it resumes next week.
Other critical businesses in the two Houses, and which the Executive has shown interest in, are the Energy Bill, Petroleum Exploration Bill, Roads Bill, Irrigation Bill, Land Index Bill and Public Private Sector Bill.
Most of these bills are pending in the Senate and were the subject of a recent meeting between President Kenyatta, his Deputy William Ruto and Jubilee Party House leadership in Mombasa in a meeting in which the President is believed to have lectured the team and accused it of doing little to advance the government agenda in the House.
However, it is the strained relationship between the President and his deputy that has triggered some silent murmurs in the ruling party, threatening its fragile unity amid claims by those allied to the DP that they could rebel if the disrespect toward their man is not discontinued.
Unhappy with the manner people around President Kenyatta have treated Mr Ruto, the DP’s allies are threatening to shoot down the Supplementary Budget should it be brought to the House in the hope it will help pass a message to the President’s men and help ease tension that has been growing since former Jubilee Party chairman and President Kenyatta’s ally, Mr David Murathe, fired the first anti-Ruto salvo on December 27, 2018, in Vihiga County.
The group, which is under strict instructions not to let known their strategies, had taken Mr Murathe’s attacks against the DP in their stride, but the publication of the Executive Order No 1 of 2019 was the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back, forcing the group to roll up their sleeves ready for battle.