URP: Duale’s post is ours by mutual agreement

By Jacob Ng’etich and Charles Ng’eno

Kenya: United Republican Party (URP) Members of Parliament have come out of their long silence to rallied  to defend National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale.

They are defending him against accusation that he has been too critical of the Government’s security clampdown to contain the terror threat. Four MPs, speaking at different forums, asked The National Alliance (TNA), their coalition partners in Jubilee, to respect Duale’s position as the Garissa Town MP and said the Majority Leader was within his rights to voice the concerns of his constituents.

The MPs took issue with statements suggesting that Duale was sympathetic to groups allied to Al-Shabaab after he spoke out against security operation in Eastleigh, Nairobi.

Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau of TNA had asked that Duale be replaced as Majority Leader for his vocal criticism of Operation Usalama Watch. However, National Assembly Deputy Speaker and Sotik MP Joyce Laboso called for caution and said the issue had been politicised. “MPs should have used the in-house mechanisms to reprimand Duale if that was warranted. Let us not politicise the fight against terror for political capital,” said Laboso.

Unique position

Ainamoi MP Samuel Chepkonga said Duale had overwhelming support in the Rift valley while Baringo North MP William Cheptumo said politicians often had to balance between the interests of their constituents and the large constituency that they serve.

“We should appreciate his unique position as Majority Leader and a leader of a constituency which looks up to him for direction,” noted Cheptumo. He said URP’s right to nominate a Majority Leader was inviolable and had been negotiated in the coalition agreement. Bomet Central MP Ronald Tonui, who said Duale’s Somali constituency had a concern, which their leader must express, supported him. “Let it be clear that we in URP are comfortable with Duale’s work in the National Assembly. If some TNA members want to portray him in bad light then they should know that the seat belongs to URP. We in URP will always support Duale,” said Tonui. The Bomet MP said other political parties could not take up Duale’s seat. “These were negotiated positions and no one should not even imagine that the seat will ever go to TNA. We are ready to stand for what is ours,” he said. In an interview with The Standard on Sunday last week, Duale said leaders must be expected to speak for their constituents.

Same energy

“I was elected by my people, who I must defend with the same energy and zeal I defend the Jubilee government. I believe in the able leadership of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto, I will not be apologetic about that,” said Duale. He said as the chairman of a group of 36 Somali MPs and a member of a Muslim legislators caucus with 67 MPs, his concerns were legitimate. Last Wednesday, President Uhuru met MPs from the North Eastern region, including Duale, and assured them that the State was not victimising members of any community.

During the meeting, also attended by Ruto, Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo and Interior PS Mutea Iringo, the President said the on going security swoops would be done in accordance with the law.