Minority Leader John Mbadi has waded into the crisis rocking Jubilee over leadership of three key parliamentary committees saying MPs must have a free hand to perform their oversight role.
The Suba South MP warned that attempts by the State to force rebel MPs to relinquish their committee leadership positions amount to intimidation and ‘compromise’.
This is in the case of Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter (Labour and Social Welfare), Moiben’s Silas Tiren (Agriculture), Marakwet MP David Bowen (Environment).
The three went against State House’s wishes and won elections as chairpersons of the committees, a situation the party leadership wants changed.
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But Mbadi, differing with Jubilee's effort to reverse the trio's election, said MPs have a role to oversight the executive without being compromised.
"They cannot perform that role under an environment characterised by threats and intimidation," he told The Star on Thursday.
Mbadi, a critic of the ruling Jubilee administration, was reacting to State House’s decision to summon four Jubilee MPs who have defied Deputy President William Ruto’s directive to resign from committees.
Emgwen's Alex Kosgey also defied the orders and unsuccessfully challenged Kieni MP Kanini Kega in the election for the chairperson of the Trade and Industry Committee.
Kega won the election by a landslide.
The rebel lawmakers were due to hold a meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta, Ruto and the leadership of parliament at State House on Thursday.
However, they called for a press conference at Parliament where they were expected to speak to the issue that threatens their ties with the DP.
Mbadi said there was nothing wrong with the MPs' move to present themselves for election as leaders of the committees as such was within the Standing Orders.
"They were elected by their colleagues because of the confidence MPs had in them. Parliament should be allowed to freely exercise their mandate without undue influence from outside forces," he said.
He urged Jubilee to emulate the opposition’s maturity during the 11th Parliament when former Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo was elected PAC chairman against Cord's wishes.
At that time, Cord principals wanted Mbadi, a certified public accountant, elected to the helm of the influential committee but Jubilee lawmakers ganged up with opposition rebels to pick Gumbo.
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