Senate, MPs rivalry plays out again as Khalwale hits out at Wetangula

Speaker of National Assembly Moses Wetangula and Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale at a past event in Navakholo. [File, Standard]

The sibling rivalry between the two Houses of Parliament played out on Tuesday over Equalization Fund Appropriation Bill, 2025.

Communication from the Senate Temporary Speaker Hillary Sigei indicated that the National Assembly has come up with a Bill similar to the one approved by the Senate on July 22.

Sigei informed members that Speaker Amason Kingi had referred the Bill to the Finance Committee.

Senate Majority Whip Boni Khalwale said the committee should not discuss it, adding that the matter should be resolved by the two Speakers.

The debate sucked in National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula, with Khalwale accusing him of abdicating his duties and playing politics.

"Nowhere in the history of Kenya has Parliament Speaker behaved like Wetangula has done. He has reduced himself to an agent of the UDA Party where political leaders are dishing millions of taxpayers' funds in form of empowerment funds," he said.

The statement irked Bungoma Senator Wafula Wakoli, who asked him to respect the office.

"Khalwale must respect the office of the Speaker of the National Assembly and should substantiate to us that what he is saying is true. He must come out clear and not making wild allegations before this honourable House," said Wakoli.

Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei challenged Khalwale to bring a substantive Motion to discuss the conduct of Wetangula.

Cherargei blamed the National Assembly of stalling the Bill, accusing the House of sabotaging devolution

"The National Assembly is procrastinating on this Bill. The Senate Business Committee should not have allowed this communication to come to this House. When we passed the Equalization Fund Appropriation Bill, 2025 the National Assembly should have given concurrence," he said.

Cherargei said that the National Assembly passed 22 Bills without concurrence of the Senate, which forced them to move to court.

Mohammed Faki (Mombasa) said members would be wasting time debating what has already been settled.

He asked the Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot and Senate Minority Leader Stewart Madzayo to engage their National Assembly counterparts Kimani Ichung'wah and Junet Mohammed to resolve the matter.

"We thought these funny games will end with a former colleague in this House who served as the Senate Minority Leader serving as the National Assembly Speaker. Unfortunately that is not the case. We are very disappointed with what is happening," said Faki.

Enoch Wambua (Kitui) asked Speaker Kingi not to pass the Bill to the committee, saying the National Assembly should have come up with amendments instead. He accused the National Assembly of showing contempt to the Senate.

Kamau Murango of Kirinyaga likened the MPs to a cat dancing in a wedding of rats.