Millicent Omanga, the nominated senator on Wednesday found herself in a tight spot as she was put to task over her loyalty to President Uhuru Kenyatta and the Jubilee Party.
Omanga appeared before the Jubilee Disciplinary Tribunal where Jubilee Chief Whip Irungu Kangata acted as the Prosecutor.
The otherwise confident Senator was visibly nervous and admitted that she had not expected to have a grilling session after Senator Kang’ata promised her that her appearance today was for the charges against her to be dropped.
She defended her absence from the Jubilee PG meeting held at State House, saying she missed the text message inviting her.
However, the tribunal members put her on the spot and challenged to get an explanation on the measures she had taken to apologize to the party leadership and follow up on what the meeting discussed.
“I have not been able to reach the Party Chairman so I have not been able to apologize to him. The whip is organizing for a meeting for me to apologize to the Party Leader Uhuru Kenyatta,” Omanga said.
The tribunal members, however, pressed on Omanga to explain why she had not made any formal communication to issue an apology to the party leadership.
“The Chief Whip is our link to the party so I went to him and I explained to him. Even as I appeared here, my understanding was that we were coming to withdraw the charges and he even sent me a text to that effect. I was actually surprised that I would be taken through this process,” Omanga stated.
She cited her vote against Deputy Speaker Kithure Kindiki as an instance where she chose party loyalty over her personal friend.
As the questioning became intense, the nominating Senator requested a bathroom break, less than an hour into the session.
Her session ended at around noon with Kang’ata requesting the tribunal not to expel the Senator who committed to be loyal to the party.
