NAIROBI,
Kenya, Mar 18 – National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale and Minority
Leader Jakoyo Midiwo have called for the dissolution of the Public Accounts
Committee and a reconstitution of the same.
Speaking
during an appearance before the parliamentary Powers and Privileges Committee
chaired by Moses Cheboi, the leaders said the committee would not be able to
transact business owing to the fact they has issued a vote of no confidence
against their Chairman Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba.
“I
doubt in my opinion they can still work together following these accusations
and counter-accusations, should this committee which you (Cheboi) chair finds
it fit, then the committee on selections should reconstitute the Public
Accounts Committee afresh, “said Duale.
Midiwo
said as a political party, they were fighting to save the image of their party
which was being tarnished by the allegations leveled at some of their members.
“When
when a potato is too hot it has to be dropped, you can’t let it burn you. I am
proposing to you to disband these committee throw it back to the parties to
look at their ,membership to see who will not give their political parties a
bad name,” added Midiwo.
They
however differed over whether the proposal should extend to all committees as
many others have been dogged with controversy and corruption issues, the latest
being the Agriculture committee where the Chairman Adan Mohamed Noor has been
accused of receiving a Sh4 million bribe to doctor a report on Mumias Sugar
company.
“I
have a big problem with a few committees; hence we called for a new beginning
in the selection of these committees – we must do something to stop the
appetite for corruption in these committees,” posed Midiwo.
Duale
said the punishment should not be meted on all committees as some were
conducting their roles as expected adding that parliament as whole should not
be ‘sacrificed at the altar’ for the mistakes of others.
Proposals
to extend the mandate of the Cheboi committee were also made by Duale saying it
would work together the office of the Administrator of Parliamentary Standards
which would be formed to investigate cases of financial impropriety.
They
proposed a raft of legislations to bring decorum to the House and ensure
members of Parliament do not throw around accusations that cannot be
substantiated against each other as some were set on maligning the names of
fellow members.
“This
committee (office of the Administrator of Parliamentary Standards) will bring
serious recommendations that you can’t just stand in a funeral or plenary and
make serious allegations that members have shared 60 million shillings,” stated
Duale.
Midiwo
further pointed out that he was not trying to defend Namwamba, saying if he was
guilty he should face the consequences, but if innocent, he would protect him.
The privileges committee’s name would change from Powers and Privileges to
Standards Ethics and Privileges committee.
The
majority leader did not fail to play dirty politics when in a sinister move
celebrated the tribulations that have rocked the opposition since reports of
corruption against some of its members emerged.
Duale
said when the opposition was faced with a crisis it made him happy.
“In
fact I will not wish them well, as a leader of Majority; my job is to ensure my
party is doing well. I believe they are also happy when the government side is
doing badly,” quipped Duale.
He
acknowledged that he was rooting for Ijara legislator Ahmed Ibrahim Abass
because he was his friend and his constituent despite stating that he had no
interest in the tribulations rocking the PAC.
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