National Assembly Majority Leader, Aden Duale, on Monday called for the immediate removal of Baringo Senator Gideon Moi as the Chair of the Senate ICT committee.
The Garissa Township lawmaker faulted Senator Moi for leading a probe into the government-instituted shut down of media stations on January 30.
Duale explained that the Senator is an interested party in the proceedings claiming that he owns KTN News, one of the stations affected by the government ban.In addition, the Majority Leader noted that the matter was already in court, therefore, separate proceedings would present a conflict on jurisdiction between the two arms of government.
"A matter before the court will apply to the rule of sub judice and parliament cannot discuss it and the matter of the shutdown is alive in court. It was taken by one citizen Okiyah Omtatah. until that matter is concluded by that arm of government Parliament has no locus standi (right to take action),"
"So even if the CS should come and answer questions, the committee cannot table that report before parliament," the Majority Leader stated.
The Senate Committee launched the probe seeking to establish whether a written and signed order from President Uhuru Kenyatta, bearing the official seal of the office of the President, instituted the week-long shutdown.
The Committee went on to invite ICT Cabinet Secretary, Joe Mucheru, to provide the details as well as explain why a Sh1Billion fund was transferred to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) as soon as the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK) shut the media stations.
For a second time, CS Mucheru failed to appear before the committee on Monday citing that he had ministry duties to attend to.
"In view of scheduled ministerial programmes, this office will be available to meet with the committee from February 26, 2018, onward," read a letter received by Senate Clerk Jeremiah Nyegenye.
The CS skipped a similar summons on February 16 where he explained that he had attended a Cabinet meeting.
Mucheru will also be required to explain to the committee why the government seemed to be targetting journalists soon after the media stations were reinstated.