Intrigues into intense jostling for PAC post

Public Investment Committee and Social Services, Administration and Agriculture vice chair Caleb Amisi. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Intense jostling for the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee chairmanship has rocked the opposition ahead of a voting exercise on Tuesday next week.

The exit of the immediate former chairperson John Mbadi, who now joins the government as the National Treasury Cabinet Secretary, has kicked up a storm not only within the House team but also within the ODM party with factions now emerging from within the watchdog committee- each claiming a stake to the chairmanship.

The Sunday Standard has also established behind-the-scenes mettlesome lobbying for the coveted position, with members from the minority ODM party now reaching across the political isle to their Kenya Kwanza Alliance Counterparts to back their bids.

This, coming a day after ODM announced its National and Parliamentary leadership. In fresh changes sparked by the resignation of top officials to take up Cabinet roles, the party’s Central Management Committee proposed Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga as its new National Chairperson following a meeting held on Friday afternoon.

The meeting, chaired by party leader Raila Odinga picked Wanga to take over from John Mbadi and also recommended to the National Executive Committee three leaders namely Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi and Governors Simba Arati (Kisii) and Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir (Mombasa) to take over the two slots left behind by Hassan Joho (Mining CS) and Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives and MSMEs CS).

But as the focus shifts on the PAC chairmanship, a decision by the outfit party to nominate Saboti MP Caleb Amisi as the presumptive chairperson of the House team has thrown a wrench in the works and elicited disquiet from members who are seeking a free-hand in choosing who succeeds Mbadi.

Notably, the ODM central Management Committee had last week tapped Amisi to fill the void left by Mbadi in a move that would involve the lawmaker shifting from the Public Investments on Social Services Administration and Agriculture (PIC-SSAA) where he currently serves as the chairperson to PAC.

Opposition is however mounting on the decision by Raila’s outfit to “install” Amisi at the helm of the watchdog committee, with constituent lawmakers seeking to appoint their chairperson of choice through the ballot process.  

Three factions have now emerged opposing the Saboti legislator’s nomination, with each fronting its preferred candidate. On one side is a camp backing Butere MP Tindi Mwale, who is currently serving as the committee’s vice chairperson.

Sources from the camp and those who spoke to The standard, wondered why the party had elected to bring in an “inexperienced” leader from a “junior” committee to steer PAC as opposed to allowing the current vice chair elevate to the chairmanship position.

“We feel Tindi Mwale is best placed to take over from Mbadi given that he has the requisite experience gained over the years. In any case, by installing Amisi as the chair, then the leadership of the committee will have missed out on regional balance given that both Amisi and Mwale come from the western region,” said a member of the committee who sought anonymity for fear of reprisal.

On the other side is a coalescent group throwing its weight behind Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo to succeed Mbadi. They argue that Amollo – who is a Senior Council and seasoned politician- is best placed to take up the vacant position.

On the flip side, a section of lawmakers is convinced that Funyula MP Wilberforce Oundo has what it takes to lead the committee and are against an earlier decision to have Oundo replace Amisi as the Vice Chair at the PIC-SSAA committee.

“I can tell you that members have already picked their nomination forms ahead of the voting exercise next week. We cannot allow the party to dictate who chairs this committee which is vital in Parliament’s oversight role. Members should be free to exercise their rights as committee members and not tied down by party dictatorship,” said another member.

And when sought for comment, Amisi insisted that the party position must be respected no matter how unpopular.

“…Junet Mohammed was recently endorsed by the Party as the minority leader and Millie Odhiambo as the Minority chief whip. Nobody voted on this. I am sure that there are members who would have liked others to take up the positions but at the end of the day, the party position was upheld. Not all party positions are popular. They, however, must be respected,” said Amisi.

“Those opposing my nomination are people of questionable character and have in the past been linked with taking money from Principal Secretaries. They have formed cartels and simply fear anyone with a strong stand on corruption which is what the PAC chairmanship requires,” added the youthful lawmaker.

Soy MP David Kiplagat implored for a review of the Standing orders to allow members from the majority party also contest for the Chairman and Vice positions.

 “Now that we have dissolved the distinction between majority and minority, can we open up the positions to everyone? In our Constitution, we have a Parliament where all members perform oversight functions. Isn’t it only fair that the standing orders be reviewed so that any member who wishes to contest for chairmanship or vice-chairmanship can do so?” posed Kiplagat during a meeting to bid Mbadi goodbye earlier this week.

According to the National Assembly Standing orders 178 (2), members of PAC, Public Investments Committee (PIC) and Committee on implementation shall elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson from amongst members of the committees nominated from a party other than a parliamentary party forming the national government.

All eyes are now on ODM’s top brass and the watchdog committee ahead of the voting exercise next week.