Behind Closed Doors: The Race to Rescue Linturi
Eleven members selected from the National Assembly convened in a hotel on Sunday evening to discuss the future of Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi, with indications suggesting that Linturi might maintain his position.
Under the leadership of Naomi Waqo from Marsabit County, the MPs had secluded themselves since Friday, May 10, to deliberate on whether to support the impeachment motion against Linturi.
Linturi faces allegations of overseeing the distribution of low-quality fertilizer through National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) outlets, linked to his role as Minister of Agriculture tasked with supervising President William Ruto’s subsidized fertilizer initiative.
The 11-member panel is slated to present their findings to the National Assembly during a special session on Monday, May 13.
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Linturi has refuted the impeachment motion, claiming it’s a form of persecution orchestrated by his opponents. He attributed the motion to political adversaries and a former intimate partner with whom he had a falling out.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah urged the Waqo-led team to maintain impartiality while considering the allegations against Linturi.
Members of the ruling coalition on the committee include Waqo, Samuel Chepkonga, George Murugara, Jane Maina, Moses Injendi, and Kassim Tandaza.
The Azimio faction is represented by Robert Mbui, TJ Kajwang, Catherine Omanyo, and Yussuf Farah.
Meanwhile, the Jubilee Party, acknowledged as a minority party in Parliament by Speaker Moses Wetangula, is represented by Racheal Nyamai.
Linturi’s case marks the first instance since the enactment of the Kenyan Constitution in 2010 that a Cabinet Secretary faces scrutiny by a National Assembly committee regarding an impeachment motion.
Behind Closed Doors: The Race to Rescue Linturi