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Kenya: MPs Reject Bid to Defer Debate

Odhiambo Orlale

3 July 2008

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Nairobi — An attempt by Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka to have a motion to censure Finance minister Amos Kimunya postponed by a day was rejected by MPs on Wednesday.

The VP caused an uproar when he rose soon after question time to request deputy Speaker Farah Maalim to defer the motion by Ikolomani MP Bonny Khalwale to Thursday.

He argued that a technical committee set up by Prime Minister Raila Odinga was still working on the claims levelled against Mr Kimunya in the controversial sale of Grand Regency Hotel.

Said Mr Musyoka, who is also the leader of Government Business: "I rise on a point of order under section 31(2) asking that the business on the Order Paper be re-arranged. The House Business Committee met on Tuesday night and prioritised Khalwale's motion."

The VP said Dr Khalwale had given his notice to move the motion on Tuesday morning, and that the technical committee set up by the PM was yet to report its progress. "I would hate to have a situation when the august House was being dictated to by the Executive. I believe that all members need fuller facts before they debate this motion and crucify the Finance minister." said the VP.

Protested loudly

But members protested loudly when the VP formally requested the deputy Speaker to defer the motion to Thursday. At that point, the temporary deputy Speaker, Mr Gitobu Imanyara (Imenti Central, CCU), rose on a point of order to clarify the issues around the motion, which was first raised on Tuesday afternoon, when he was on the chair.

Said the CCU MP: "When the House sets its business it does not answer to the Executive. Let the PM not interfere with the running of the august House! We are ready to debate the motion right now!"

As the debate raged, Mr Jakoyo Midiwo (Gem, ODM), said as the deputy chief whip and a member of the HBC, he was not aware of any interference by the Prime Minister.

The Gem MP said that at no time had he been consulted by the PM to gauge the mood of the members before the motion was debated.

Said the ODM MP: "This is a matter of national importance and the motion must be debated today! The committee of the PM is not a committee of Parliament and we should not be seen to be covering up the alleged ills."

The VP stood his ground saying the information he had received so far was that the PM, who was not in the House, had spoken to the Imenti Central MP and also to the deputy chief whip on Wednesday and requested that the controversial motion be deferred by a day.

Interested party

There was further furore when the VP, who is the Mwingi North MP, accused Mr Imanyara of being an interested party in the issue. But, Mr Cyrus Jirongo (Lugari, Kaddu) said the VP was misleading members.

Defending himself, Mr Imanyara said: "I must react to the claims by the VP that the PM spoke to me. Now that he is the one who raised it I will tell members what the PM tried to do and what I rejected." He told the packed House that he received word that the PM, who is also the ODM leader and Lang'ata MP, had summoned him.

Shocked members

"I was told that the PM wanted to request me to defer this motion to Thursday. I spoke to the PM's personal aide, who told me that the PM could not have summoned me. So it is not true and we should go ahead and debate the motion," Mr Imanyara told the shocked members.

Earlier, East African Community Affairs assistant minister Peter Munya issued a personal statement denying claims by Citizen FM that he had described the beleaguered Finance minister as "Mr Clean" during the VP's victory party in Mwingi last weekend.

Mr Munya denied that he was among the 35 MPs at the function, saying he never uttered such words. "At no time did I say Mr Kimunya was clean because I had no facts. I said if Mr Kimunya believes he is clean, he should step aside, like previous Finance ministers."

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