This archive report was first published on 9 July 2019.
July 9, 2019 - Nairobi, Kenya - The incoming Chairperson of the Senate Committee on National Cohesion, Naomi Waqo, has urged her counterpart in the National Assembly, Maina Kamanda, to tone down on toxic politics and prioritize national cohesion and unity.
Waqo, who is set to take over the helm of the Committee, made the call during an interview, emphasizing the need for leaders to put the country's development targets above party affiliations.
“When we are in leadership, even if we belong to different groups, I think the best thing that we can do is give our mandate a priority,” Waqo said.
Her comments come as a response to Kamanda's leadership of Team Kieleweke, a movement seeking to stop Deputy President William Ruto's 2022 presidential ambitions. Critics have pointed out the irony of Kamanda's role as the chair of the House Committee overseeing the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), given his involvement in party politics.
Waqo's tenure at the helm of the Committee will focus on promoting cohesion and integration, particularly in county governments and among communities. She plans to visit counties to address issues of marginalization and to give attention to groups that have been left behind, including people living with disabilities.
