Senate Deputy Majority Whip Irungu Kang'ata at a past event. [Photo/nation.co.ke]
A Jubilee Party leader in the Senate has defended the decision by his party to de-whip five MPs for vying for various House committee seats against the party's directive.The legislators Alfred Keter (Nandi Hills), Silas Tiren (Moiben), David Bowen (Marakwet North), Alex Kosgey (Emgwen) and James Gakuya (Embakasi North) vied and got elected against the Jubilee Party’s voting will in the National Assembly.However, Murang'a County Senator Irungu Kang'ata has hailed the move to de-whip the MPs, saying Majority Leader Aden Duale and Chief Whip Benjamin Washiali did nothing wrong in punishing the lawmakers."I find the decision to de-whip the members is a laudable punishment by the party. Political parties have rules and it is natural for any politician to be disciplined in whatever way, including being de-whipped if he or she doesn't abide by the set rules," he wrote in an article published by The Standard, Tuesday.Kang'ata, who is Senate Deputy Majority Whip said the MPs were elected courtesy of Jubilee's popularity and should have looked for alternative ways to solve the issue instead of moving to court to challenge the decision to de-whip them."The court cannot interfere with internal matters of Parliament in the common principal of separation of powers. The members should have approached Jubilee's internal party dispute organ," Kang'ata said."Then if unsatisfied, go to the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal and only think of the courts as last resort," he added.The MPs ran to High Court and obtained a stay order to retain their seats, a move Kang'ata said is bound to fail.