Gumbo beats Mbadi in race to head new-look PAC

Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo was on Tuesday elected as new chairman of the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee and pledged to fight graft in the watchdog.

The ODM legislator got the backing of MPs from Jubilee and some Cord members who seemingly defied their coalition’s leadership to have ODM chairman and Suba MP John Mbadi succeed Ababu Namwamba as head of the oversight committee.

Mr Gumbo garnered 12 votes against Mr Mbadi’s nine in a contest that also attracted Balambala MP Abdikadir Aden who got four votes and Mwatate lawmaker Andrew Mwadime (one vote).

The Rarieda MP said the reconstituted PAC will discharge its oversight mandate above board and ensure teamwork.

“We are like morticians. We deal with actions taken by people who left office long ago. Going forward, we want to look at where the rain started beating us and take safeguards so we don’t go back there,” said Mr Gumbo.

Jackson Rop (Kipkelion West, URP) was elected by 15 MPs to the vice chairman’s seat, which is by mutual understanding the preserve of Jubilee. He beat Kangogo Bowen (Marakwet East, URP), who got six votes and Joseph Manje (Kajiado North, TNA) who managed five.

Mr Rop replaced Runyenjes MP Cecily Mbarire who together with Mr Namwamba, James Bett (Keses), Erick Anyanga (Nyatike) and Mohammed Abbas (Ijara) were barred from sitting in the committee following a probe over graft in the watchdog.

PAC and Public Investments Committee (PIC) chairmanship is reserved for the opposition Cord. Mr Mbadi accused Jubilee coalition members of conspiring to defeat Cord.

“It is first election that I am losing but I want to congratulate Mr Gumbo,” he said, adding that Jubilee had their preference but “Cord position was that Mbadi chairs PAC.”