• Changes followed Jubilee parliamentary group meeting at State House, Nairobi on Tuesday.
• The ruling party has embarked on clean up of House committee in purge viewed as politically instigated.
Image: JACK OWUOR
National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi on Thursday officially informed MPs of the changes in the Jubilee Party leadership of the House.
The speaker announced the appointment of Navakholo MP Emmanuel Wangwe as Majority Whip and Igembe North MP Maoka Maore as his deputy.
The two replaced Mumias East’s Benjamin Washiali and Nominated MP Cecily Mbarire who were among the latest casualties of the Jubilee purge.
At least 16 chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of House committees have also been notified of the party’s intention to de-whip them from their positions.
The speaker thanked Washiali and Mbarire for discharging their work diligently.
“I take this opportunity to wish them well in their other endeavours,” Muturi said.
Muturi also communicated changes effecting the removal of Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa as Minority Whip. The lawmaker was replaced by his Tongaren counterpart Eseli Simiyu in changes voted for by at least 124 Nasa MPs last month.
But Minority Whip Junet Mohammed (Suna East) said, “I can see the ousted deputy seated behind me. He should not continue masquerading as such…in fact, he should not speak as Minority leader anymore."
The sentiments elicited an exchange of unkind words between the two MPs with an emotional Wamalwa indicating that he has accepted the fact that he no longer sits as deputy minority whip.
“The problem of being a sycophant is that you do things that say a lot of what is between your ears. I am focused to be the next governor of Trans Nzoia,” the Kiminini MP said.
Junet fired back, “I know when you lose a seat you feel bad…but you don’t need to go personal... he is my deputy and I know he was unable to do this job. Let him accept it. I am told that has become a fake secretary general of some party.”
But Wamalwa dismissed him saying he was removed because of his association with DP William Ruto, not incompetence as purported.
“I am the chairman of Catholic Members of Parliament. I have been rated among the best legislators. He (Junet) comes here as a comedian then he goes out.”
“If we table a number of bills…he has never tabled any bill. Let my detractors know that we have freedom of association. I thank the Nasa leadership for serving them in this position for two terms,” Wamalwa said.
Edited by R.Wamochie