Kajiado Senator Mpayeei kicked out of committee chairmanship

The battle for the chairmanship of the Senate National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity and Regional Integration committee has started following removal of the holder.

Committee members yesterday passed a vote of no confidence against Kajiado Senator Philip Mpayeei.

Five out of the seven members who attended the closed door session held in Parliament voted in favour of the motion. The other two opposed the ouster.

Members accused Mpayeei of incompetence and absenteeism that has rendered the panel toothless and dysfunctional.

They said that the first-time Kajiado senator, who was elected the chairperson of the committee in 2017, has only attended two meetings of the committee over the period.

“We feel that we were not performing as we should because of lack of leadership. The chairman has not been there and he admitted this during today’s (Tuesday's) meeting,” a member told the Star.

According to the members, the nine-member committee was recently ranked the least performing in the House and thus the need a revamp.

The members argued that the panel is critical in promoting cohesion and integration but has remained dysfunctional.

“The country is divided right down the middle. Tribalism is killing this country. The committee is supposed to deal with these issues and ensure that the country is united,” a member said.

Nominated Senator Naomi Waqo is the vice chairperson of the committee whose members are Gideon Moi (Baringo), Fred Outa (Kisumu), Judith Pareno (nominated) and Christine Zawadi (nominated).

Others are Loitiptip Anuar (Lamu), Enock Wambua (Kitui) and Mercy Chebeni (nominated). Waqo and Wambua are the front-runners to succeed Mpayeei, according to sources in the committee.

Waqo has an upper hand given that he comes from the ruling Jubilee party whose members are the majority in the committee.

However, Wambua who was elected on Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper Party ticket could pose a challenge to Waqo owing to the handshake between the President and the Opposition leaders.

The committee is expect to elect a new chairperson next week.