President William Ruto has outfoxed his archrival Raila Odinga in two recent developments inside and outside Parliament as he implements the strategy to weaken the opposition.
In the National Assembly yesterday, membership of a powerful committee that schedules parliamentary business was retained, but the President had already wooed some members who sit in the team as representatives of the minority side, hence bolstering the numbers of his ruling coalition.
And the Registrar of Political Parties yesterday confirmed a meeting by a splinter group of Jubilee Party, which has allied itself with the President, was convened properly, effectively endorsing the coup against critics of Kenya Kwanza administration, including secretary-general Jeremiah Kioni and vice chairman David Murathe.
In the House, although the membership of the House Business Committee (HBC) was retained as that for the first session before MPs went for Christmas recess, some opposition MPs in the team have since shifted political allegiances.
These include Mr Adan Keynan (Eldas) and his Laikipia North counterpart Sarah Korere from the Jubilee Party who have already said they will support the government. This effectively deals Mr Odinga’s Azimio la Umoja coalition a blow in having a say in what will be discussed in the House
Others are Umul Ker Kassim Sheikh of the United Democratic Movement (UDM), which has also reached a deal with the ruling coalition, and Masinga’s Joshua Mbithi, who is among Independents and was the first group to be courted by President Ruto.
Given the majority side has Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, majority leader Kimani Ichung’wa, majority chief whip Sylvanus Osoro, Omboko Milemba (Emuhaya), Samwel Chepkong’a (Ainabkoi) and Faith Gitau (Nyandarua), the support of these other members effectively hands the ruling coalition a formidable majority.
Apart from representatives of the minority side that have expressed interest to work with the President, the opposition has minority leader Opiyo Wandayi, his deputy Robert Mbui, minority whip Junet Mohammed and Ruaraka MP TJ Kajwang’ .
Top on the agenda of the House will be the consideration of the first supplementary budget under President Ruto’s administration which the house is racing against time to conclude.
The Budget Policy Statement (BPS) for the financial year 2023/2024 is also expected to be tabled next week and the House has 14 days to consider it. The Treasury is expected to bring the BPS to Parliament tomorrow.
The BPS will come up with a debt management strategy paper showing the country’s current position on debt.
Yesterday, MPs unanimously approved the members of HBC who immediately retreated in the afternoon to draw up business that will be discussed by the House today.
Mr Wandayi told the Nation that there is no cause for alarm in retaining the same membership as was in the first session, saying they are fully aware of the matter.
“There is no cause for alarm. We made a conscious decision not to change the membership of the House Business Committee at this point in time. There are multiple ways of skinning a cat,” Mr Wandayi said.
Rarieda MP Otiende Amolo acknowledged the latest development “could affect us in a way”, but reasoned the urgency to have the committee in place was an overriding factor.
“The reason why it has been retained is so that we start the business of the House because had we brought in new names, it could have been the start of the conflict,” Dr Amolo said, adding: “It can be reconstituted any time and it is something that we will consider.”
Mr Ichung’wa, while moving the motion to approve the names, said the decision was reached upon consultation with the minority side.
“We have agreed with the minority side to maintain the same members because they served for barely three months in the last session but now have an opportunity to serve for a whole year. We have a crucial business ahead of us, especially the supplementary budget,” Mr Ichung’wa said.
Mr Wandayi while also supporting the list urged the House to prioritise issues affecting Kenyans, saying the country at the moment is in total chaos and people are suffering.
“This House must take it upon itself to prioritize to address issues affecting Kenyans,” Mr Wandayi said.
And it was a victory for Dr Ruto’s camp in the quest to have a faction allied to the ruling coalition wrestle control of the Jubilee Party from allies of retired president Uhuru Kenyatta .
After the successful coup, the new team plans to have the party sever ties with Mr Odinga’s Azimio and enter into a cooperation agreement with the ruling alliance.
Jubilee’s National Executive Council (NEC), which was convened in Nakuru last weekend, had resolved to suspend Jeremiah Kioni, David Murathe and Kagwe Gichohi as secretary-general, vice chairman and national treasurer, respectively.
East African Legislative Assembly MP Kanini Kega, Eldas MP Adan Keynan and his Kitui South counterpart Rachel Nyamai were picked as acting secretary-general, vice chairman and national treasurer, respectively.
In response to Jubilee’s resolutions, Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu yesterday said the NEC was properly constituted, which means that those who were appointed in acting capacity will take over officially.
