Senate Committee defends its role in probing KQ affairs

The Senate has maintained that it has full mandate to probe financial woes of national carrier Kenya Airways (KQ), saying it is provided for in the constitution.

Members of the newly formed Senate Joint Committee looking into the affairs of KQ said any claim to the contrary was ill informed.

The members said they draw their powers to execute their mandate from Article 125 of the Constitution which stipulates that either House of Parliament and any of its committees has powers to summon any person to appear before it for purposes of giving evidence or providing information.

“That information is sufficient to guide the uninformed,” said Kisumu Senator Anyang Nyong’o, who chairs the Joint Committee.

Members of the National Assembly have accused the Senate of overstepping its mandate in the investigation saying its reserve should be the counties.

House Speaker Justin Muturi is yet to make a ruling on whether Senate has powers to investigate KQ which recently announced a record after-tax loss of Sh25.7 billion in the year to March 2015.

The MPs demanded Tuesday that the Speaker directs the matter to be taken to the Supreme Court for clear demarcation of roles between the senators and MPs.

Despite the ongoing turf wars between the two Houses, Acting Labour Secretary Raychelle Omamo appeared before the committee on Wednesday to respond to queries on the airline's retrenchment of 447 staff.

READ: Senate questions Omamo on sacking of 447 KQ staff

“We will continue with our work undeterred,” said Mandera senator Billow Kerrow, who is a committee member.

Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr said KQ’s bailout will affect people who live in the counties thus justifying the committee to conduct investigations into its affairs.

“The KQ affair is a weighty matter worth our time because the country’s economy is at stake and families of the 447 retrenched workers are suffering,” he said.