UDF to sign post-election deal with Jubilee

President-elect Uhuru Kenyatta (right) talks with Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi after a meeting in Nairobi on March 16, 2013. Photo/WILLIAM OERI  NATION MEDIA GROUP

By LUCAS BARASA lbarassa@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Sunday, April 7   2013 at  11:35

The United Democratic Front Party (UDF) will on Monday sign a post-election pact to officially join the Jubilee coalition, Garissa Township MP Aden Duale has said.

Mr Duale, a member with the United Republican Party (URP), said negotiations between UDF and Jubilee were complete paving way for the agreement.

“The document is complete. We are only waiting for UDF leader Musalia Mudavadi and the two other big guys to sign it,” Mr Duale said.

Mr Duale also said the inclusion of UDF will boost Jubilee's numerical strength in parliament with 216 members.

“We will only fall short of 16 MPs to get two thirds majority. For UDF to get seats in committees, it has to move fast and sign the agreement with us,” Mr Duale told Nation.

Mr Duale said UDF will fall under the Majority Leader and that it will have joint whip with Jubilee.

“UDF will get all the committees it wants,” Mr Duale said.

He also said that the Jubilee coalition is keen on taking all the key parliamentary House committees and will only leave the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Parliamentary Investment Committee (PIC) to the opposition.

Mr Duale, who is a front runner in Jubilee for the post of the Majority Leader in National Assembly said the coalition affiliate parties will share membership in the committees in a proportional manner.

New MPs demand House seats

Mr Duale spoke as first time MPs demanded to be allowed to head various parliamentary watchdog committees.

Pokot South MP David Pkosing said there was disquiet among new MPs that their seasoned colleagues were using their network with political parties’ principals to take over all key posts in the House.

Mr Pkosing, a former chief executive with the Kenya Film and Censorship Board said the new MPs felt “they are being side-lined as no big position has been issued to them.”

Currently, the Speakers of both the National Assembly and Senate together with their deputies are all seasoned legislators or former MPs.

Mr Pkosing who is eyeing the Energy and Information Committee said since first time MPs were the majority, they should be allowed to head key committees.

“I’m interested in the Energy and Information Committee due to my experience having been CEO in the industry for five years. We also need fresh blood in the committees,” he said.

Also in the race to head the Energy and Information Committee is Cord's James Rege.

Mr Pkosing said regional balance “and face of the country” should also be considered in filling the House slots.

He said since more than 90 per cent of votes in West Pokot went to the Jubilee coalition and that voters should be rewarded by the alliance by backing him for House seat.

“My people have been marginalised for long. We want to be part and parcel of Jubilee Coalition’s government,” Mr Pkosing said.