• Garissa assembly majority leader says Duale should not make such remarks 'as he knows the rules of the House'.
• MCA says ward reps operate independently and 'cannot be coerced or intimidated into passing a bill'.
MCAs from Garissa has supported the Punguza Mizigo Bill, saying it means well for the country.
The MCAs hit out at National Assembly Majority leader Aden Duale who at the weekend warned them against passing the bill.
Speaking at Boys Town Secondary School on Sunday, Duale said MCAs risk facing the wrath of the people "if they dare pass it".
Garissa Majority leader Mohamed Gabow told the Star on the phone that it was unfortunate to hear such threats from a leader who understands the House rules.
“He should know better that such a document will be subjected to House committee and later debated with or without amendments. We are answerable to the electorate, not our fellow politicians,” Gabow said.
“Duale has no moral authority to lecture us on what to do. We are an independent institution and not an extension of the National Assembly and our roles are defined by the Constitution."
The assembly majority leader said the bill looks good and with a few amendments it will get the support of many Kenyans.
He said the proposal to do away with CDF was long overdue and it is one of the areas MPs have abused.
“The MPs have been quick to lash out at the governors on how they spend their resources to their counties and rarely talk about the CDF which we know is biased when it comes to allocation,” he said.
Masalani MCA Abubakar Shide said, "We make our decisions independently without coercion or intimidation from any quarters, Duale included.”
Nominated MCA Mariam Mohamed said she will only comment after scrutinising the bill.
“However a quick glance at some proposals in the bill shows that it is a mixed grill that has good and bad things. But after all is said and done, I will follow whatever our area MP [Duale] tells us to do,” Mariam said.
Assembly speaker Ahmed Abass acknowledged receiving the draft bill last Friday, saying it will be taken through the normal processes, including public participation.
Proposals in the bill include reducing the cost of running Parliament, reducing the number of MPs from 416 to 147, constituencies from 290 to 94 and using counties as a single constituency unit for purposes of parliamentary elections.
Others are electing one man and one woman from each county to the National Assembly and abolishing the position of deputy governor.
The bill also proposes abolishing nomination seats in county assemblies and Senate and reducing special interest group seats in the National Assembly to six from 12.
Edited by R.Wamochie