MPs retreat to share House leadership
The two rival political formations have planned retreats for their MPs to share out parliamentary leadership positions.
Mr Raila Odinga’s Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party has organised a two-day retreat at Stoni Athi Resort in Machakos County this weekend to share the leadership positions in the National Assembly and Senate as the 13th Parliament prepares for business after the August 9 elections.
President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza Alliance MPs will be in Naivasha tomorrow and Saturday.
The meetings come amid intense lobbying for the leadership positions in the two Houses and membership in the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC).
Yesterday, nominated MP John Mbadi was unequivocal that he will be going for nothing less than the leadership position in the National Assembly with MPs Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja) and Junet Mohamed (Suna East) also expressing their interest in the position.
“I believe I have the experience to lead my coalition in the House,” said the fourth-term MP.
He was first elected in 2007 as Suba MP before the name changed to Suba South.
Mr Mbadi, an accountant, was the leader of minority in the 12th Parliament.
Kitui Central MP Makali Mulu (Wiper) is set to deputise Mr Mbadi with the whip and deputy whip position going to the Jubilee and Democratic Alliance Party of Kenya (DAP-K).
PSC slots
PSC, a 10-member-commission chaired by the National Assembly Speaker, is a mix of membership from the National Assembly and Senate and has nine slots up for grabs.
Article 127 that establishes the PSC stipulates that, of the 10 positions, two must go to members who are not elected, or who are nominated as members of the National Assembly or Senate.
The party that has a majority in Parliament is allocated four members with the minority party getting three slots.
Sirisia MP John Waluke is among MPs from Azimio pushing for their nomination to the commission that is in charge of the welfare of MPs and parliamentary staff.
Though the Azimio coalition political party has 185 MPs in the National Assembly as per the coalition agreement signed and deposited with the Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu, a number have since shifted allegiance to Kenya Kwanza which originally had 152.
The shift has given Kenya Kwanza a numerical strength of 179 MPs against Azimio’s 170.
Azimio is made up of 26 parties among them the Orange Democratic Movement, Jubilee Party, Wiper Democratic Movement and Democratic Alliance Party of Kenya.
In the Senate, Azimio has 30 senators, while Kenya Kwanza has 36. There is one independent senator.
This means that Azimio will bag the minority leadership with the majority going to Kenya Kwanza. BY DAILY NATION
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