• Nasa ward reps included in the 25 committees to boost performance.
• House leadership urges committees to be active and not to be complacent.
Image: FILE
Nairobi county assembly has honoured ODM leader Raila Odinga's request to have opposition members accommodated in assembly committees.
On Tuesday, Majority leader Abdi Guyo appointed Nasa members to various committees. He chairs the Select Committee on Appointments.
“We’ve balanced all committees based on gender and consulted with the political parties represented in the assembly. The minority side is now well represented and we are optimistic that the committees will be active and improve services and House business,” Guyo said.
His Minority counterpart Elias Otieno warned that complacency will not be allowed. Acting speaker Chege Mwaura also appealed to members to be active.
The assembly has 25 committees divided into electoral and select committees.
The committees are supposed to monitor the budget performance of their sectors and ensure transparency and accountability by inquiring and reporting on projects, procedures and other activities.
They are also supposed to ensure public participation in their activities, respond to issues raised by the public, prepare legislation and guide debates.
Last October, a few Nasa MCAs accused their leaders of abusing powers, leading to wrangles in the Minority.
This followed after Otieno and chief whip Peter Imwatok de-whipped some members from committees.
The two had reshuffled the party members in all the 25 committees.
Imara Daima MCA Kennedy Obuya was removed from the speaker’s panel, Powers and Privilege, and Transport committees. He remained a member of the ICT committee.
Nominated MCA Mary Arivtsa was also de-whipped from the Transport committee. Imwatok blamed her for constant misconduct in the House.
Raila intervened and called the party's MCAs for a meeting in which he requested equal accommodation of the members in committees.
As Guyo read the names, he was interrupted by Arivitsa who had a different opinion on the reshuffle.
"I don't mind being in the Trade committee but I don't know why my name has been said omitted in the Transport committee," Arivitsa said and complained of being targeted and mishandled in the assembly.
"I feel disrespected and I wish to be taken back to my previous committees," the nominated MCA said.
Catherine Okot, however, said Arivitsa was becoming a headache to the assembly.
"We cannot continue having one person being a bother to the House. The member is bringing party issues and does not respect the leadership at all," Okoth said.
Guyo warned Arivitsa against the "unruly behaviour of interrupting the plenary session".
"I can assure you that if you continue to disrespect this house we shall follow the standing orders and have the final say presented in the Powers and Privilege committee," he said.
Otieno said the reshuffle was done because of such incidences. "You cannot start a fight on the floor in the middle of a procedural motion. This is totally disrespectful," he said.
(Edited by R.Wamochie)