Parliament resumes amid Jubilee-NASA feud

The Bicameral August House resumes today, Tuesday, February 13 after a close to two months recess with a full in-tray that among others, entails passing crucial pending bills and assembling the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC).

Jubilee Party is however set to agree on its names on Wednesday, February 14, with Nominated Senator Beth Mugo, Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot, MPs Aden Keynan and Naomi Shabaan having been proposed to represent Jubilee at the powerful commission.

On the NASA side Homa Bay Woman Representative Gladys Wanga, Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa and Vihiga Senator George Khaniri were proposed to represent them in the commission.

As MPs prepare to get down to work, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich has up to February 14 to present the budget policy statement to Parliament for various committees to start the budget making process.

The sittings that kick off at 2:30pm come even as opposition MPs maintain that they have little interest in any House business sponsored by the Jubilee side, citing alleged misrule.

“The executive has hijacked Parliament if we will not be able to have independence some of the thoughts we have as NASA is to run our own parliament and assemblies in counties.,”said Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma

Among the pending bills awaiting Parliament include the Computer and Cyber Crime bill of 2017, the petroleum exploration and production bill that was referred back to Parliament by the President as well as the physical planning bill.

The now controversial petroleum bill had proposed 5% revenue share for local communities, while county and national government would get 2o%  and 70%  respectively with President Kenyatta asking the House to revert to its original format that only gave 5 per cent share to local communities.