Four Rebellious Jubilee MPs Kicked Out of Parliament Departmental Committees

Jubilee Party legislators on Tuesday kicked out four rebellious MPs from parliamentary committees. The MPs were ousted after various parliamentary departmental committees they were elected in held meetings to pass a vote of no confidence against them.

Those ejected include Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter, Moiben MP Silas Tiren, David Bowen of Marakwet East and James Gakuya of Embakasi North.

In the House Committee on Labour and Social Welfare, a bitter exchange was witnessed after Nandi MP Alfred Keter confronted his Jubilee colleagues. This came after Nominated MP David Ole Sankok moved a motion of no confidence against him and his vice-chair, Catherine Wambilianga.

The two were eventually voted out with Sankok saying that due process was not followed in the election of Keter as the committee's chairperson.

However, Keter, who enjoyed the support of opposition MPs among them Wilson Sossion and Nyatike's Tom Odege said the grounds in the motion were illegal, terming it a sad day in the history of Kenya's Parliament.

“It’s unfortunate to see an independent Parliament being muzzled by one arm of government. What is being done, what we are going through, we might be seen as small people but we are presiding over the collapse of Parliament,” said an agitated Keter.

“This is super manipulation and it will affect our harmony in our workings. I have confidence in the chair and the vice chair and they have not even been allowed to perform their duties. The motion is defiling the independence of the House,” said Sossion.

“It is shocking to come back and discus issues that are not related to this committee. It’s the lowest moment for me,” added Odenge.

Moiben MP Silas Tiren was voted out as the chair of the Agriculture and Livestock Committee, while Marakwet East MP Kangogo Bowen was removed as vice chair of Environment and Natural Resources in a 10 against 1 vote.

National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale defended the decision by Jubilee MPs to oust rebels colleagues from House teams’ leadership, stating that the action was not personal, but was based on the principle of equity and inclusivity.

“We have brought back sanity, discipline and order to the Jubilee. We want every part of the country to be represented in the parliamentary committees’ leadership,”Duale, who was flanked by majority whip Mr Bernard Washiali, spoke after the process.

The four contested against candidates fronted by the party, despite an earlier agreement during a Jubilee parliamentary group meeting on who would take up the seats. The deal was to allow regional, ethnic and gender representation in sharing of Parliament leadership posts within the party.