Deputy President William Ruto’s allies facing purge from plum House committee positions have asked the Jubilee party to state charges against them.
The lawmakers say they are ready to quit the committees but need to know why they are being de-whipped from the plum committee posts.
The newly-appointed Majority Whip Emmanuel Wangwe gave the 16 lawmakers up to yesterday (Wednesday) to respond to the party.
“We will give a way forward after receiving the responses,” the Navakholo MP said.
The MPs are expected to face a party disciplinary panel to put a case on why they should not be expelled from the posts.
However, in his June 3 letters, the new Whip did not state the grounds for which the targeted lawmakers were being removed from the committees.
They are MPs Kimani Ichung’wa (Kikuyu); Gladys Shollei (Uasin Gishu WR); Moses Kuria (Gatundu South); Victor Munyaka (Machakos Town); Robert Pukose (Endebess); Alice Wahome (Kandara); Adan Haji (Mandera South); William Cheptumo (Baringo North); and Joyce Chepkoech (Bomet WR).
Also set for removal are MPs Fred Kapondi (Mt Elgon); Lomenen Ekomowa (Turkana Central); Liza Chelule (Nakuru WR); Catherine Waruguru (Laikipia WR); John Waluke (Sirisia), and Cornelly Serem (Aldai).
In interviews with a couple of the affected lawmakers, they said that since no charge was stated, they have nothing to respond to.
Wahome, for instance, wrote to Wangwe on June 7 seeking to be furnished with the grounds for her removal from the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee.
Kuria also wrote to the Whip stating that he has handed back the post after citing what he described as his initiatives as vice chair of the Transport Committee.
Some of them appear to have resolved to let go of the posts, with others pointing fingers to their colleagues interested in the seats as driving their removal.
Aldai’s Cornelly Serem told the Star on Wednesday that he was yet to understand why the party leadership is after him.
The MP said he was shocked as he is neither vocal nor active in any of the political groupings such as Tangatanga – said to be the main driver of the ruthless purge.
“What are the allegations? What are the reasons number 1, 2, and 3? This nonsense must stop. We are a county governed by the rule of law,” the MP said.
Ichung’wa, for his part, says he has prepared to hand over the reins of the Budget and Appropriation committee to vice chairman Eldama Ravine MP Moses Lessonet.
The Kikuyu MP, in what he terms as succession, planning left the latter to move the committee’s report on the 2020-21 financial year budget.
