• The committee co-chair says a new date is to be announced soon.
• It was the second time that the meeting failed to take off
Image: PCU
A meeting called by MPs to discuss the National Dialogue Committee report aborted for the second time on Wednesday.
Members of the joint Justice committee of the National Assembly and Senate excused themselves from attending the meeting to attend to chamber businesses.
The joint committee consists of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee of the National Assembly and the Senate’s Standing, Legal Affairs and Human Rights Committee.
All was set for the meeting at Parliament Buildings but it was postponed until further notice.
Members of the secretariat, who had set up equipment and documents for the talks, were forced to fold them away.
JLAC chairman Gitonga Murugara, Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo, Ruaraka’s TJ Kajwang’, and senators Fatuma Dullo (Isiolo) and Veronica Maina (nominated) had arrived at that time.
Kajwang’ informed the committee leads that he had matters to attend to and tendered his apologies to the committee.
He was followed out by the chairman and later Dullo, the only senator who had appeared for the deliberations by the scheduled hour.
It was the second time that the meeting failed to take off, putting President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga-led talks in jeopardy.
The joint committees were expected to deliberate on a way forward for the implementation of the talks report, which among others proposes significant law changes.
“Members have communicated that they are engaged in other crucial chamber business, so we will communicate the date of the next meeting,” Murugara said.
Last Wednesday, members of the National Assembly found themselves alone in the meeting, which forced the session to be rescheduled to yesterday.
At least five members of the National Assembly and three from the Senate are required to be present for the meeting to be properly constituted.
Members of the National Assembly JLAC include Mwengi Mutuse (Kibwezi West), John Makali (Kanduyi), Edward Muriu (Gatanga), Jane Maina (Kirinyaga), Philip Kaguchia (Mukurweini), Muchira Michael (Ol Jorok), and Sylvanus Osoro (South Mugirango).
Also in the team are MPs Stephen Mogaka (West Mugirango), Mohammed Aden (Wajir West), Junet Mohamed (Suna East), Amina Siyad (Garissa), and Farah Maalim (Daadab).
The Senate’s Justice team comprises Bomet Senator Hillary Sigei (chairman), deputised by nominated Senator Raphael Mwinzago, Karen Nyamu (nominated), Veronica Maina (nominated), William Cheptumo (Baringo), Fatuma Dullo (Isiolo), Hamida Kibwana (nominated), Oki- ya Omtatah (Busia) and Catherine Mumma (nominated).
When he assigned the teams to the task, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula said the house committees had 45 days to issue a report on their deliberation.
This means the committee has up to April 20 to deliberate and issue a report with recommendations on how to handle the National Dialogue Committee report.