Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua has condemned a section of Azimio Members of Parliament who absconded voting on the controversial Finance Bill, 2023 at the second reading stage.
Speaking to NTV on Tuesday night, Karua said MPs should prioritise important bills in Parliament.
"MPs who did not vote for the Finance Bill, 2023 are a letdown to Kenyans. MPs must prioritise whichever side of the divide they come from when there is a debate of importance going on. I would expect that an MP would even decline a trip out of the country," she said.
However, Karua was hopeful that the MPs would redeem themselves during the third reading on Tuesday night and push through amendments on controversial clauses.
During the second reading, 176 lawmakers voted to have the Bill read a second time while 81 of the 257 MPs in the House opposed the move.
The Orange party commenced disciplinary action against 28 legislators over their conduct during Wednesday last week’s debate on the Finance Bill, 2023.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna said the decision followed complaints from members of the public.
On Tuesday, the ODM party said Lang'ata MP Phelix Odiwuor alias Jalang'o and his Rarieda counterpart Otiende Amollo are part of the members who have not written a cause letter after failing to vote on the Finance Bill, 2023.
The party says they are among 13 lawmakers who are yet to write show cause letters.
Other MPs who did not show cause include Gideon Ochanda, Joseph Oyula, John Ariko Namoit (Turkana South), Paul Nabuin (Turkana North), Said Buya Hiribae (Galole), Mohamed Abdikadir Hussein (Lagdera), Titus Khamala (Lurambi), Wilberforce Oundo (Funyula), Mark Nyamita (Uriri), Daniel Manduku (Nyaribari Masaba) and Fatuma Masito.
Sifuna said 17 others had explained why they failed to vote on the contentious bill.
