Ababu Namwamba Apologizes to Parliament: Letter to Speaker Wetangula
Ababu Namwamba, Cabinet Secretary for Sports, has apologized to the House of Representatives for composing a letter to the Speaker requesting to be summoned to address contentious issues raised against his Ministry.
After Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wa raised concerns about the letter addressed to National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula, and his Senate counterpart Amason Kingi, and transmitted to the Majority Leader, Namwamba was compelled to apologize.
Kimani Ichung’wa, speaking on the floor of the House, noted that in the letter, Namwamba had referred to the allegations made against his ministry as “purporting” and “hearsay.”
Namwamba’s letter included the following passage: “The attention of our ministry has been drawn to statements made by Senator Simon Cherargei and Member of Parliament Kimani Ichungwa, which statements purport to cast aspersions on the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports… Among the unalterable rules of parliamentary procedure are the inadmissibility of hearsay and the prohibition against condemning the absent or unheard.
The Majority Leader characterized the letter as “condescending to the institution of Parliament” and faulted the CS for insinuating that legislators raised issues based on “hearsay.”
“For the record for this Cabinet Secretary and others, because some may erroneously believe that as leader of the majority I am here representing Cabinet Secretaries, I will hold you accountable as if I were the leader of the minority,” said Ichung’wa.
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Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi reiterated the sentiments of the Majority Leader, criticizing the Sports Cabinet Secretary for appearing to instruct the House on its mandate.
“No one else may instruct the House on how to conduct its business, including the business of inviting individuals to the House under Article 95.” This chamber is tasked with addressing issues concerning individuals… “Therefore, the House is within its rights to raise these questions,” he stated.
Tom Kajwang’ of Ruaraka accused Namwamba of attempting to instruct the Parliament by delivering “a lengthy lecture on hearsay and claiming that what we are doing here is based on hearsay.”
“And to permit this witness to write to the Speaker, what is the protocol for writing to the Speaker?” Kajwang questioned. “How is it, then, that a witness stands on a stool, addresses the presiding officer of this chamber, and lectures him?”
Following the reprimand by the MPs, Sports CS Ababu Namwamba issued an apology, stating, “Let me make it clear that the correspondence that has been referenced here was authored and conveyed in good faith, and I would apologize unreservedly if in any way that letter has created wrong…”
“Therefore, with the utmost respect, I rescind that correspondence and unconditionally apologize to the honorable house.”
Wednesday, Namwamba appeared before the plenary of the National Assembly to be questioned about allegations that he failed in his duty at the Sports docket.
Ababu Namwamba Apologizes to Parliament: Letter to Speaker Wetangula
