Moses Kuria Quits Parliamentary Committee in Protest

Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria addressing the media on May 22,2020.
Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria addressing the media on May 22, 2020.

Gatundu South Member of Parliament Moses Kuria has thrown in the towel on his Parliamentary Committee position after a notice of removal. 

In a letter to National Assembly Majority Whip, Emmanuel Wangwe on Monday, June 8, Moses Kuria quit his position and detailed eight reforms he made during his tenure.

"I have no regrets Hon Majority Whip sir. I hand back the position with humility but with my head high. I thank the party for giving me an opportunity to serve and make a difference in the lives of Kenyans," read the letter.

Police officers shielding Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria (seated) from bouncers who wanted to eject him from BBI rally in Kitui on February 1, 2020.
Police officers shielding Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria (seated) from bouncers who wanted to eject him from BBI rally in Kitui on February 1, 2020.
Daily Nation

A letter from Wangwe on Wednesday, June 3 was sent to some Jubilee Party members after the Parliamentary Group Meeting informing them of a notice to discharge them from the Parliamentary Committee.

Kandara MP Alice Wahome also wrote to Wangwe on Monday, June 8 seeking an explanation for her ousting from the Parliamentary Committee.

"In order for me to respond substantively kindly furnish me with the grounds upon which you intend to cause my discharge from the said committee," wrote Wahome.

The MP was among recipients of the notice of discharge as her position at the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee was at stake.

The notice required the MPs to respond within seven days before they are discharged from their respective committees in the National Assembly.

In his lengthy letter, Moses Kuria documented reforms he made starting with Kenya Roads Board Amendment Bill which paved way for the issuance of off-balance-sheet market instruments to finance road infrastructure. 

He led the process of reform of the Merchant Shipping Act to pave way for the Public-Private Partnership in the Maritime Sector.

The MP also noted that during his tenure, the committee initiated a reform process for the entire aviation sector that would have seen the creation of Kenya Aviation Holdings Group (KAHG).

The group would have merged Kenya Airports Authority, Kenya Airways, Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, and other publicly owned enterprises in the Aviation Sector.

Moses Kuria noted that the committee provided every piece of legislation that was brought before it by the Executive to support the Affordable Housing Programme.

He said that he was leading efforts to put pressure on the State Department for Transport to settle pending bills for the operations of the SGR.

Another reform that Kuria attempted was the Annual Programme that was expected to herald a new era in the way the committee financed roads but it did not work out with the only road under the program being Kajiado-Isinya project.

He also noted the neglect in infrastructural development in Mount Kenya Region and named the on-going initiatives such as the Mau Mau Road, Njabini-Gatura road and dualing of the Thika Road to Marwa.

He finally stated his vigilant role in changing goalposts on the Lamu, South Sudan and Ethiopia Transit Corridor (LAPSSET).

A photo of Kandara MP Alice Wahome in her office.
Kandara MP Alice Wahome in her office.
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