A special National Assembly sitting will be held on Tuesday to endorse the membership of various House committees which had been the subject of contention between the Majority and Minority sides.
Nasa and the ruling Jubilee on Monday sorted out their differences on the composition of key committees that had threatened the Handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga.
At the centre of the push and pull was the composition of two reform committees that ODM insisted must only be populated by pro-Handshake lawmakers.
The stalemate forced Majority leader Amos Kimunya to withdraw the committees' list at the last minute.
The committees are Justice and Legal Affairs and Delegated Legislation, both expected to play a crucial role in the passage of Building Bridges Initiative’s proposals when the document is brought to the House.
The Minority side had also opposed the membership of Education and Finance committees, casting doubt that some of those proposed to sit in them would support ODM members as chairpersons of the panels.
The two sides compromised and the Minority will now chair Education, Finance and Broadcasting committees in addition to PIC, PAC and Committee on Implementation.
The Star has established that Jubilee agreed during the Tuesday’s meeting to drop Uasin Gishu Woman Representative Gladys Shollei and George Murugara (Tharaka) from JLAC.
The Minority side had raised concern about the two lawmakers sitting in the JLAC after they had publicly opposed BBI.
“What I wanted was to reduce the number of the Tangatanga in the two committees so that we can have a committee that we can rely on,” Minority leader John Mbadi told the Star on Wednesday adding: “We have been consulting very well and there is no disagreement.”
Kimunya and Minority whip Junet Mohamed brokered the truce on Tuesday.
“I held a meeting with Majority leader Amos Kimunya over House committees. We have mutually agreed on the list, to be tabled when House resumes next week,” Junet said after the meeting.
The new list will be ratified by Committee on Selection on Monday next week before it is tabled in the House the following day.
Kimunya and Mbadi will petition Speaker Justin Muturi to convene the House on Tuesday. MPs are on a short recess.
The leader of Majority chairs the 19-member Selection Committee which also has leader of the Minority as an automatic member.
The committee’s core function is the nomination of members to serve in committees save for the membership of the House Business Committee and Committee on Appointments.
- mwaniki fm
