Raila Allows Ejection Of Sabina Chege As Deputy Minority Whip

Azimio la Umoja on Thursday, April 6, resolved to eject nominated Member of Parliament Sabina Chege from her position as the Deputy Minority Whip of the National Assembly (NA).

Viral Tea has learnt that the decision was reached during the Azimio la Umoja Parliamentary Group Meeting in Machakos County. The coalition however did not announce Chege's replacement in the highly coveted position.

The decision came moments after Raila renewed calls for amendments to the Constitution that will punish rebel Members of Parliament (MP) who change their loyalties.

Raila Odinga during a press briefing on April 4, 2023. /FILE

Addressing the PG meeting, Raila lamented that some MPs elected under the coalition had gone rogue and needed to be stopped for blatantly disobeying directives of the parties that sponsored their road to the 13th Parliament.

The former Prime Minister is calling for changes to the Constitution that will make the task of MPs switching political sides and retaining their seats more difficult.

“We recommend changes in the law that will instil party discipline by requiring MPs who cross party lines after the elections to seek a fresh mandate from the electorate and to allow parties to replace nominated MPs who cross party lines,” Raila stated.

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party Leader is also proposing for the changes to include him being allocated powers to replace nominated MPs who switched sides politically.

"Initiate legislation to address the electoral, governance and economic gaps identified during the inquiry for consideration by the Houses as appropriate," Raila stated. 

The former Murang'a Woman Representative has been in bad books with the Azimio coalition since being among 30 Jubilee MPs who met President Ruto at State House.

Jubilee Party Secretary-General, Jeremiah Kioni had ordered Members of Parliament (MP) elected under the Azimio coalition to begin stripping her of her position as the Deputy Minority Whip of the National Assembly (NA) when the NA proceedings resumed on Tuesday, February 14.

"Let Kioni know Jubilee party is not his own kiosk. He has never called us for any PG. He has never given us direction, so when he wakes up from his bed he cannot expect that we will follow him.

"Even when he went to represent us at the Azimio PG, he never invited us nor told us the agenda," stated Chege on Friday, February 9.

The lawmaker further defended her move to join forces with President Ruto's Kenya Kwanza government in the company of other Jubilee Party members, giving an example of former President Uhuru Kenyatta who she said decided to partner with Azimio leader, Raila Odinga, for the tranquillity of the country. 

"This country is bigger than any individual. I would like to say that we are following in the footsteps of our party leader Uhuru Kenyatta. After the elections in 2017, in 2018 he is the first person who went to look for Raila Odinga and look for a handshake.

"Because he told us that this nation is bigger than any one of us. And he was avoiding what we are seeing now of people in the streets and maandamano (public rallies). So we are following in his footsteps," she said.

She further decried that she would not take part in the Azimio anti-government rallies, despite being one of the few Mt Kenya leaders who heavily campaigned for Raila ahead of the August polls.