Azimio, Kenya Kwanza MPs lash out at Kahiga over ‘reckless remarks’ » Capital News
NAIROBI, Kenya June 12 – Lawmakers from the opposition have scoffed at Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga for castigating the Finance Bill 2024 prematurely and advancing ethnic politics concerning matters development.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah fired the first salvo at the Nyeri County Boss for fronting an agenda to shoot down the Finance Bill yet the legislative process on proposed law hadn’t materialized.
Ichung’wah castigated Kahiga for trying to influence lawmakers to throw out the bill based on falsehoods.
“I have seen the clueless Governor for Nyeri debating the bill saying he will vote no. As if he votes in this house. They don’t even know what will be in the report,” he stated.
“The people sending him are the same people trying to influence MPs to thwart the finance bill. I want to thank MPs because they have refused to be incited until the amendments are made on public participation,” he said.
The Finance Committee has retreated to write its report after concluding the public participation exercise.
Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi waded in the debate narrowing on the sentiments by Governor Kahiga which were linked to ethnic politics over the distribution of resources and development by the Kenya Kwanza Administration.
During a weekend funeral, Governor Kahiga questioned why the government was investing in stadiums in Bungoma and addressing debts in the sugarcane sector instead of focusing on the coffee sector in Mount Kenya region.
Wandayi termed the remarks of Governor Kahiga reckless and aimed at creating animosity in the country
“I listen to him and if the Governor was elected by some people in a county.That he questioned why the stadium in Kakamega was completed before the one in Nyeri and yet the people in Kakamega didn’t vote for Ruto like the people in Nyeri,” he said.
The Minority Leader faulted the Governor for propagating politics of backwardness insisting that the government of Kenya cannot be the property of only those who voted for the Kenya Kwanza Administration.
“We must in one accord say that the government belong to all Kenyans who pay taxes be they in Bungoma or Nyeri. Time has come, we have no interest we perceived issues in UDA but you can’t stand in a platform and castigate Kenyans based on how they voted,” Wandayi asserted.
The Majority Leader poured cold water on the shareholder debate propagated by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in the mainstreaming of the Kenya Kwanza development agenda saying ethnic balkanization ought to be condemned.
“It’s so embarrassing that the Governor of Nyeri doesn’t know that the people of Bungoma voted almost equally with the people of Nyeri…When a government is elected, its never elected to work for those voted for them. That’s why the shareholding discourse was difficult to engage,” Ichung’wah said.
The Kikuyu MP advised Governor Kahiga who is a close ally of the Deputy President against being used as a conduit to cascade ethnic politics in the country.
“Whether you are speaking for yourself or you have been sent to say those things by somebody irrespective of the position they hold. Please all the tribes in Kenya ought to be respected,” he added.
Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa called unto the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to commence the process of hounding the Nyeri Governor out of office for the proliferating discrimination of Kenyans based on tribe.
“Clearly, the man is unfit from holding public office and I want the EACC to begin the process of removing him from office because every Kenyan requires development,” Barasa stated.
Speaker Moses Wetangula directed Ichungwah to inform the Nyeri Governor that the sanction on sugar debt was a decision of the legislative house and not the Executive led by President William Ruto.
“The wavering of the sugar debt was sanctioned by a decision of this house and not Executive. It was sanctioned by MPs including those from Nyeri. He should be made aware,” he said.
“Members out there displaying grandiose paranoia in the conduct of the public affairs will be called to order and these house have expressive authority through the committee to summon them,” Wetangula added.
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