Jubilee Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju has spoken after both Senator Kipchumba Murkomen and Samsom Cherargei rejected the offer to serve in the Senate’s Devolution Committee and Powers and Privileges Committee respectively.
“It is within their right to reject any position. I do not envisage any kind of punishment being accorded to them. The party gave them the opportunity to serve in two committees,” Tuju stated.
Divisions within Jubilee are set to pose a serious challenge in as far as voting along party lines is concerned.
“However, as for those who feel that they don’t want to toe the party line and the Majority Whip, there are various sanctions to punish them and certain disciplinary measures that we can undertake,” Tuju warned.
While rejecting the post, Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, who was de-whipped as Senate Majority Leader, criticised Jubilee’s move to replace Laikipia Senator John Kinyua who lost his position as the chairman of the Senate Devolution Committee, with Murkomen asked to replace him.
“This afternoon I learned from the media that I have been proposed to serve in the Senate Devolution Committee, in effect replacing Senator Kinyua who is being punished for standing with me. Accepting the position will be tantamount to repaying unstinting loyalty with spite and treachery,” Murkomen tweeted.
Meru Senator Mithika Linturi, his Bomet and Nandi counterparts, Dr Christopher Langat and Samson Cherargei were also stripped off powers from several committees, demoted from Chairmanship to serve as committee members in the reshuffle announced by Senator Kang’ata on Tuesday, May 26.
Linturi was ejected from vice-chairmanship of Justice and Legal Affairs Committee and the Senate Business Committee. He was moved to the Delegated Legislation to replace Majority Leader Samuel Poghisio
Langat and Cherargei lost the chairmanships of the Education the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee respectively. Cherargei was appointed a member of the Powers and Privileges Committee while Langat was asked to serve in the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC).
