A clause in the Kenya Kwanza Alliance (KKA) coalition agreement has now come back to haunt the outfit’s affiliate parties, with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) hogging all the top posts in the National Assembly.
The most affected by the KKA arrangement on the sharing of the parliamentary committee and leadership slots is Amani National Congress (ANC) of Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula’s Ford-Kenya who are, together with President William Ruto’s UDA, regarded as founding members of KKA.
Although Mr Mudavadi and Mr Wetang’ula have directly benefited from the KKA arrangement after landing plum positions, their foot soldiers feel short-changed.
Nation understands that some senior members in ANC and Ford-Kenya are not happy with the manner in which they are being treated by their UDA counterparts, accusing them of greed.
However, since they are lobbying for state jobs, they do not want to protest openly and end up in the President’s bad books.
Crucial positions
UDA has Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu, National Assembly majority leader), Sylvanus Osoro (South Mugirango, majority chief whip), Aaron Cheruiyot (Kericho, Senate majority leader), and Tabitha Keroche (Nakuru, Senate deputy majority leader).
UDA’s Boni Khalwale (Kakamega, Senate chief whip) also bagged a top seat in the leadership.
Bungoma Woman Representative Catherine Wambilianga, who is also chairperson of Ford-Kenya yesterday told Nation it was unfair for UDA to give itself the chairmanships of all committees.
ANC and Ford-Kenya are being haunted by a clause in the agreement, which says responsibilities will be shared on pro-rata basis (proportionally).
UDA has bagged all four slots allocated to the Kenya Kwanza Alliance in the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC), locking out its partners.
The list KKA submitted to Parliament for approval has UDA MPs Faith Gitau (Nyandarua) and Mohamed Ali (Nyali) from the National Assembly and senators Joyce Korir (nominated) and John Kinyua (Laikipia).
President Ruto has given most of his UDA lieutenants immense powers in certain committees.
Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro has landed the leadership of the Budget and Appropriation Committee of the National Assembly, a powerful entity that bears great influence in national budget-making and how public finances are expended.
Another Ruto ally who has bagged key committee leadership is Belgut MP Nelson Koech who is the chairperson of the Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations Committee.
Others are Mr Julius Melly (Education), Johanna Ng’eno (Housing, Urban Planning and Public Works), Kangogo Bowen (Blue Economy and Irrigation), Vincent Musau (Energy), Gabriel Tongoyo (Administration and Internal Security Affairs), David Gikaria (Environment and Natural Resources), Robert Pukose (Health), Kimani Kuria (Finance and National Planning), George Murugara (Justice and Legal Affairs) among others.
Yesterday, UDA chairman Johnson Muthama told Nation that, if KKA affiliate parties feel sidelined, they should raise the issue internally so that it can be discussed and resolved.
“We cannot listen to individuals who are out there shouting because they are pushing their self-interests,” he said.
Kilifi North MP Owen Baya, who is also the deputy majority leader said the allocation of responsibilities is based on the agreement inked between UDA, ANC and Ford-Kenya and does not affect Parliament alone but also the Executive and county assemblies.
ANC national chairman Kelvin Lunani told Nation the party was comfortable with the arrangement and described UDA as “a big brother” and “our senior partners in the coalition”. BY DAILY NATION