Cord has agreed to stop agitating for majority representation in the Public Accounts Committee and Public Investment Committee in the Senate.
This development gives room for the establishment of the remaining House committees, and expedites the budget making process for the financial year 2013-14.
On the May 2, the budget policy and estimates were tabled in the House. The departmental committees required to scrutinise the budget have seven days to finalise the process and bring their proposals to the House for debate and approval.
Cord’s change of mind came after its informal parliamentary group meeting within the Parliament Buildings. This means that the ruling Jubilee coalition will maintain its majority of 14 members and Cord will have 13 in the two committees.
Minority Whip Gideon Mung’aro said it is in the interest of the country to move forward.
“We have been consulting with Jubilee because we want to break the ice. We ask them to respect the tradition of the House,” Mung’aro said.
Yesterday, Leader of Majority Aden Dualle said he will table the list in the House for approval today in the afternoon.
“Our brothers have agreed that we move forward. This evening I will be chairing the committee on selection meeting to finalise the list of all the remaining committees,” Dualle said.
Minority leader Francis Nyenze said the coalition had already engaged House Speaker Justin Muturi to fast track the proposed changes.
“We want to amend the rules so that we have the majority as the only viable route,” he said. The changes must be approved by the House Procedure and Rules Committee before they are debated by the plenary.
Source:the-star.co.ke
