Nasa lawmakers row over crucial House positions

A rift has emerged in the opposition National Super Alliance (Nasa) after MPs from affiliate parties rejected a list of four persons nominated to lead the coalition in Parliament.

The MPs rejected the appointment of Suba MP John Mbadi (ODM) as the Leader of Minority, Robert Mbui (Wiper) as deputy Leader of Majority, Junet Mohammed (ODM) as Minority Whip and Chris Wamalwa as his deputy.

The MPs openly differed on the floor of the House after National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi issued a communication informing MPs that Nasa had written to him on November 16 and 29, appointing the four to the key House leadership.

“I wish to inform the House that by letters dated 16 and 29 November 2017 and supported by minutes of Nasa Parliamentary Group meeting,  the Nasa coalition has written communicating leadership as follows…the Nasa coalition now fully complied with procedures in fully submitting its leadership to the House,” he said.

Mr Muturi directed Leader of Majority Aden Duale and Mr Mbadi to quickly move to submit names of members to serve in the Committee on Selection, that of Appointment and other committees to help the House fulfil its mandate.

READ: Nasa MPs paralyse Parliament committees

Led by Coast Parliamentary Group chairman Suleiman Dori, the MPs rejected the appointments saying their region, which voted overwhelmingly for Nasa, had been sidelined.

The Coast MPs, who later addressed a Press conference in Parliament in the company of lawmakers from Kisii and Ukambani regions, said they would not recognise the appointments as it lacked regional representation and gender balance.

“I rise to oppose the Nasa list because the issues of regional balance and gender were not factored in and it shows that Nyanza has taken all leadership positions leaving out the rest of Kenya.

“There was no parliamentary group meeting and as the chair of Coast Parliamentary Group, I oppose this because we have given a huge contribution to the party,” Mr Dori said.