The Mzalendo Newsletter

Weekly Newsletter - Issue No 177

12 March - 18 March, 2018

Editorial

Uhuru, Raila handshake good for stability but MPs should remain on course

The statement, there are no permanent enemies, and no permanent friends, only permanent interests finally sunk in for majority Kenyans after President Uhuru stood on the steps of his Harambee office side-by-side with his political nemesis and promised a new Kenya.

That leaders can work together regardless of whichever corner of the country they come from is a blessing and indeed worth encouraging. In fact part of the reason this country has little to show despite going to the polls every so often is the seemingly permanent campaign mood that keeps us busy but taking us nowhere.

The President and the former Prime Minister both said, their interest was Kenya and none of them or rather no leader was bigger than Kenya. Whether this interest was Kenyan or of two people; only Parliament can help us figure. And this can only be done if Parliament resolves to work as a representative of the people and not the Executive.

While we are happy the constant bickering and grandstanding that was affecting the economy and all Kenyans by extension is over and that opposition MPs will stop absconding Parliamentary business and give us proper return on the taxes we are investing in the form of their salaries; we however must remain vigilant and demand that beyond attending House business, MPs will not close ranks to the point that they become useless to the public.

Already ODM faction of NASA has wasted no time to close ranks with their Jubilee counterparts. The mood in Parliament right now is merry, considering Jubilee had majority seats already and with ODM wing of NASA also commanding the biggest number in opposition, there’s nothing that can stand on their way at the moment. Both sides are now trumpeting President Uhuru’s big four agenda; a little too confidently that one fears ODM has been co-opted in a manner that might keep them from performing their oversight role.

As Raila Odinga noted in their joint statement with the President that day, this country is deeply divided along tribal lines. And though Raila Odinga mentioned, rightly that the focus on institutional reforms did not yield the desired results among others hence the need to change tact, it is important to note that these problems cited are very much entrenched within Parliament.

Take for instance that strange case where a good number of MPs threatened to remove from office the Health Cabinet Secretary for suspending, rightly, the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) CEO. The MPs feel obliged to ‘protect one of their own’ needless to mention anybody under investigation has to step-aside as part of government procedure.

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News of the Week

MPs angered by NSSF double speak over the building project, orders retendering

National Social Security Fund (NSSF) managers were put to task by the Members of the Public Investment Committee (PIC) to explain why the construction of their Hazina Towers project initially worth Sh.6.7 billion has remained at the same amount despite the decision to reduce the floors from the previous 36 to 15stories. The committee led by Mvita MP, Abdulswamad protested the manner in which the management was going about the project and ordered the project stopped and remaining bit retender to save tax payers possible losses. The MPs also want the Auditor General to audit work already done and give the proper figure of the exact cost of the entire project. The project was first stopped in 2016 after experts warned it was structurally weak.

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MPs want Iranian Ambassador replaced

MPs in the defense committee accuse Iranian Ambassador, Hadi Farjvand of frustrating Kenyan business seeking to partner with Iranian investors. The MPs claim Iranians with genuine business have also lodged complaints to them over their Ambassador. They want the Foreign Affairs ministry to take up the matter. Interestingly a group of MPs who had promised to counter the statement from the MPs in the defense committee backed out.

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ODM MPs change tune on 2022

Some members of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) from the Coastal region led by Malindi MP, Aisha Jumwa have promised their support for Deputy President William Ruto come 2022, saying there’s no better leader to take over from Uhuru than the DP. Other MPs also in support include, Voi MP Jones Mlolwa and Kisauni MP Ali Bongo. The Coastal leaders also criticized the three NASA co-principals for derailing talks between Uhuru and Raila. The ODM Party however has distanced itself from the utterances of the MPs, saying the party has not endorsed anyone for the 2022 yet and that those members were speaking in their personal capacities.

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IEBC leadership grilled over irregular spending

IEBC CEO was hard pressed by MPs in the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to explain among other things the decision to pay Sh.250million to a company that delivered kits that did not work. The CEO and his team argued that in fact treasury hard okayed over Sh. 400 million to Face Technologies for the supply of 36,400 electronic voter identification devices (EVIDs) and that it was only after their due diligence that the money was reduced to Sh. 250 million that they insist was contractual and little room to maneuver. PAC had summoned the IEBC leadership to respond to issues raised by the Auditor General regarding irregular payment including doing business with a company that only got registered after the 2013 General Elections among other weighty issues.

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Quote of the Week

"Moses Wetangula a man with one cow cannot be incharge of a cattle dip."

Quote by Narok Senator, Ledama Olekina, in what is seen as support for the ouster of the Bungoma Senator as Leader of Minority, on March 20,2018

Lest we forget

"I must thank His Excellency the President [Kibaki] and Mr. Raila for having signed the peace accord…It is good that they saw sense, and very quickly agreed to come together."

Sentiments by former Westlands MP, Hon. Fred Gumo when debating the motion on Presidential Address on March 12, 2008.

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Newsmaker this Week

Bungoma Senator and NASA Co-Principal, Moses Wetangula made headlines this week after ODM faction of the NASA coalition engineered a move that saw NASA Senators de-whip him from the Senate Minority Leadership position and replacing him with James Orengo. The Ford Kenya leader is said to have sealed his fate after opposing the Uhuru, Raila talks so much that he’s alleged to have refused greeting their leader over that meeting. The NASA co-principal promised the divorce will be very messy referring to his planned removal. True to his threat, his party with the blessings of ANC and Wiper Party now want the seats held by ODM in the National Assembly taken from them as they appear to have “crossed the floor” and joined the government.

Bills before the National Assembly

First Reading

Second Reading

THE NAIROBI METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSPORT AUTHORITY BILL

- NO. 41 OF 2017