The ODM party has removed from all county assembly committees four ward representatives who have been criticising Governor Hassan Joho’s administration.
Jomvu Kuu MCA Athman Shebe has been replaced as chair of the Environment committee by Athman Mwamiri. Kongowea MCA Abrary Mohammed who was vice chair in the Lands committee has given way to Moses Aron. Mjambere MCA Fahad Abdallah hands over to Hamida Noor as the chair of the Water and Sanitation committee.
The fourth casualty is Charles Kitula who was the Majority leader. He lost his position to Junior Wambua. Kitula was also axed from the Youth and Education committee.
Deputy speaker Fadhili Makarani said he received communication from Majority whip Junior Wambua on the changes in the committees.
“There was communication from the ODM party de-whipping the four MCAs. We also had a list from the selection committee which appointed members to replace the four,” Makarani said.
ODM Mombasa chair Mohammed Hatimy said the members had acted contrary to party laws.
“The party has its rules and regulations. Matters that concern the party and the house should be addressed in the house and not outside and in newspapers, that is going against the law,” Hatimy said.
Mwamiri said the Wednesday decisions were regular changes the party makes every three years.
Shebe said the decision gives him an opportunity to fight for the rights of the public.
“We still do not know the main reason why we have been de-whipped but it is also true that any person who stands with the truth is seen to be an enemy of the county government of Mombasa,” Shebe said.
He said that the main reason for the party’s action is that they have been asking questions about the mismanagement of public funds.
Kitula said he will continue sitting in the committees he has been removed from because there is no official communication from the ODM party.
The four members blamed party chairperson Hatimy for poor leadership and the mismanagement of public funds in his Finance docket.
Minority leader Khamisi Musa said that the selection of members to represent the committees was fairly done and considered gender balance.
The case of the four members is about party issues and not the county assembly, he added.
However, Kipevu MCA Faith Mwende said that the selection of the committee members was not fair because the Majority party was favoured.
“Being from the minority party, we were not considered in the position of chairmanship, it could have been fair if one of us could have been given the chance to represent the minority members in the house,” Mwende said.
She said the Mombasa assembly does not play its oversight role because those who were in the committee positions are from the Majority party and they have retained the same positions.
“We are capable of holding positions in those offices. The selection was not fair and I can say it is so inhumane,”Mwende said.