Secretary General Raphael Tuju and National Assembly Majority whip Benjamin Washiali confirmed they have no plans to remove anyone from parliamentary committees. Jubilee has dismissed claims by Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria that there was a plot to have him removed from House committee. On Monday, Kuria hit out at National Assembly Majority leader Aden Duale for allegedly plotting to have him de-whipped. He is a member of the Transport and Budget committees.
Kuria accused Duale of sitting on a number of his private bills, citing the NGOs Reform Bill, 2014, the Coffee Bill, and the Interest Rates Bill that have yet to be brought to the House. In a TV interview, Duale had said Jubilee would take action against Kuria, whom he accused of disrespecting the presidency. Duale said that one of the cardinal things the Jubilee Party wishes to maintain is discipline. He said they will not allow members to demean the character and institution of the presidency.
“Now Aden Duale wants to de-whip me from the two committees that I serve in. First, you’re not qualified to do so. This is the work of the party through secretary general Raphael Tuju and chief whip Ben Washiali. I serve in the committees at the pleasure of the party. If the party decides that my services are no longer required, I will oblige,” he said.
Tuju said any decision to remove a member from a committee must first come as a recommendation from the party’s disciplinary committee. He admitted, however, that the committee has a number of complaints from some members. He did not name the complainants. “We must follow due process with regard to any party member. Nobody should be worried as due process will be followed.” he added.
Washiali on his defence said he had no instruction to remove anybody from any committee. He added If there was any other information from any quarter, then treat it is to be treated as null and void. In a social media post, Kuria said his war with Duale started after he presented his proposal to the Building Bridges Initiative team.
The task force is collecting public views on a range of issues, including constitutional amendments, and will make recommendations on the way forward. Kuria proposed to the task force that each party should present five candidates in a presidential election for the post of President, DP, Prime Minister and two deputy PMs. He suggested that those nominated for President and DP be barred from being members of Parliament as is the case presently. Kuria proposed that PM candidates be allowed to run for MP or be nominated automatically if the presidential candidate in their party wins.
He also suggested on the deputy PM post, he proposed that one be held by a person eligible for election as a member of the National Assembly and the other by a person eligible for election as senator.