Jubilee seeks control of team investigating Waki report

Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi during parliament open day on 25/9/2015 [PHOTO/BEVERLYNE MUSILI/STANDARD]

Jubilee is plotting to take control of a House committee that will interrogate the work of the Justice Philip Waki-led commission of inquiry into 2007 post-election violence.

Out of the 15 MPs proposed to serve in the committee, 10 are Jubilee legislators, giving the first indication that the ruling coalition is leaving nothing to chance in its effort to discredit the Waki report that formed the basis of the International Criminal Court investigations.

The proposed select committee will probe the role of various State and non-State agencies in the investigations.

The motion by Samuel Chepkonga (Ainabkoi) has been taken over by the Government.

Those proposed to serve in the committee are: Florence Kajuju (TNA, Meru), Samuel Cheboi (URP, Kuresoi North), Kimani ichung'wa (TNA, Kikuyu), Alice Nganga (TNA, Thika Town), Samuel Chepkonga (URP, Ainabkoi), David Gikaria (TNA, Nakuru Town East), Jimmy Angwenyi (TNA, Kitutut Chache North), Katoo ole Metito (TNA, Loitoktok).

CORD MPs on the list are T J Kajwang (ODM, Ruaraka), Mishi Mbogo (ODM, Mombasa), Wilbur Ottichilo (ODM, Emuhaya), David Ochieng (ODM, Ugenya) and John Munuve (Wiper, Mwingi North).

The motion, which was initially owned by Mr Chepkonga who is the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee chairman, was yesterday brought to the House as a Government-sponsored motion.

blocked discussion

Speaker Justin Muturi blocked any discussion on the composition of the list, telling MPs who had issues with the list to wait until the motion comes up for debate.

"What has just been given is a notice of motion. You can raise all these issues when the motion comes before the House," Mr Muturi said.

Opposition Deputy Whip Chris Wamalwa (Kiminini) had questioned why members of the Opposition had been sidelined.

"I'm wondering if there were any guidelines on the names that should serve in a House committee. From the list, it is clear that the other  coalition has more names," he said.

The committee will be expected to table its report in the House within 90 days "to inform debate on the subsequent motion for noting the contents of the report of the commission of inquiry into the post-election violence, which was tabled in the House on December 4, 2008."

Olago Aluoch (Kisumu Town) wondered if the matters to be investigated by the proposed committee are not the same ones before the ICC.