Fallen Emurua Dikirr MP Johanna Ng’eno may not have been a good debater in the National Assembly. He may not have sponsored any Bill, at least in the life of the current 13th parliament, as per the House records, but his defence of multiparty democracy, the oversight and representation roles that he executed fearlessly, cannot be taken away from him.
As the chairman of the Housing, Urban Planning and Public Works Committee in the National Assembly, the late Ng’eno was known for responding to questions and statements as requested by his peers in the House.
In his first term as MP, Ng’eno was famously quoted as recorded in the Hansard, the official record in Parliament, arguing that sycophancy in politics destroys political parties and hinders leadership.
While advocating for the inclusion of dissenting voices, he emphasised that party vibrancy requires diverse debates and independent thought.
“We also want to allow members because this idea of sycophancy has also killed parties and good leaders,” the July 6, 2016, Hansard captures Ng’eno contributing.
This was after the then Minority side in the House — the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) led by the late Raila Odinga — had discharged some of its members from the House committees over party loyalty issues.
“I am only saying that as a matter of integrity and democracy, we must all show that we can tolerate each other. We can have members who can have dissenting voices and others who would want to express their minds properly. Let us allow them to express their minds soberly without coercion,” Ng’eno said.
Emurrua Dikirr MP Johana Ngeno being installed as a Kipsigis community elder and spokesperson in Kipsinge in Sotik Constituency, Bomet County on March 28, 2024.
Photo credit: Vitalis Kimutai | Nation Media Group
The Emurua Dikirr MP said that it was not new as the House had “several people of such character who had been tolerated” and gave the example of the late Jean- Marie Seroney.
At some point, while presiding over the business of the House, and a member wanted his colleague to substantiate a certain issue, Seroney said he could not substantiate the obvious.
“It means, at that particular time, we still had dissenting voices. I am requesting our brothers on the other side, that even Jubilee is having the same quagmire. They also have the same dictatorial character. Sometimes they find it hard to dictate to some of us, but they are also dictators just like everybody else,” Ng’eno said.
At the time, he said that “the major reasons we are in this House are three- legislation, representation and oversight.”
“We all agree that you cannot be in this House and belong to no committee and claim that you are doing oversight. You cannot do oversight here on the Floor of the House. It is only prudent that even if our Members, because we have dissenting voices and rebellious people everywhere…”
He acknowledged that he was a rebel in Jubilee, but still served “in very important committees”.
“They still tolerate me,” the Hansard captures Ng’eno saying.
“I even differ with the Leader of the Majority Party, who is supposed to de-whip me and also with the Chair, with whom we sometimes go physical, but they still tolerate me. I do not know whether they tolerate me because of the damage I might cause if they drop me or because they are tolerant.”
At the time, Justin Muturi, the Speaker of the House, was in the chair. Mr Aden Duale, then MP for Garissa Township, was the leader of the majority in the House.
“I am not totally condemning the Cord coalition because it is a coalition that I respect a lot. It is a coalition that has put the Jubilee government on its toes; it is a coalition of parties that has brought sense to this country.
“But this idea of whipping and de-whipping is not good for democracy in this country because we are actually breeding a certain character that, unless you sing a certain song or bow to a certain leader, then you are not going to be part of this thing.
Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ng'eno returns to his home at Mogondo village upn being released from the Nakuru Police Station cells on September 11, 2020.
Photo credit: Vitalis Kimutai | Nation Media Group
“I believe one day, one time, they will be in government and one of them will be president of this nation. I would wish that they lead by example so that we can tolerate dissenting voices,” the fallen MP stated.
Ng’eno went on to assert that “some people will be on record as great statesmen after being presidents.”
“One of our leaders, especially in Cord coalition, will also be on record as a great statesman for putting this government and other previous governments on their toes. So, I am not saying that they are bad,” Ng’eno said then.
