House committee purge: Ruto-allied MPs receive ejection notices

Deputy President William Ruto receives Laikipia Women Rep Cate Waruguru to UDA Party at Karen, Nairobi County on November 23, 2021. [Jonah Mwangi/DPPS, Standard]

Six Members of Parliament (MPs) allied to Deputy President William Ruto are on the verge of being kicked out from key National Assembly committee positions.

The six are Wlliam Kisang (Marakwet West), Katoo Ole Metito (Kajiado South), Catherine Waruguru (Laikipia Woman Representative), Ali Wario (Bura), Kareke Mbiuki (Maara) and David Gikaria (Nakuru Town East).

Metito chairs the Defence Committee, Gikaria (Energy), Wario (Regional Integration), Mbiuki (Environment and Natural Resources), Kisang (Communication and Innovation) and Waruguru (Vice-chair, Agriculture).

The lawmakers have been asked to respond to the notices of ejection, giving justifications on why they shouldn’t be removed.

“Pursuant to Standing Orders 176 (1) and 176 (2), you are hereby notified that the Jubilee Party, which nominated you, intends to discharge you from the Departmental Committee on Energy. You are hereby given seven days to respond before you are discharged from the said-committee,” reads a January 17 letter addressed to Energy Committee chairperson Gikaria.

The purge targets MPs allied to Ruto’s wing of Jubilee.

This follows a similar exercise in 2020 and last year that saw Garissa Township MP Aden Duale, among others, lose key leadership positions in Parliament.