Mithika Linturi, the embattled Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, has come under fire for allegedly trivializing a significant national issue by linking his extramarital affairs to the ongoing impeachment effort.
Member of Parliament Jack Wamboka of Bumula, who is the motion's sponsor, set the tone for a contentious hearing on Wednesday by dismissing Linturi's defense as "nothing more than a love letter from a jilted lover."
The Bumula MP stated to the eleven-member select committee that Linturi's implication that the effort to remove him from office is being driven by his ex-wife Maryanne Kitany is unjust and lessens the seriousness of the situation.
"I have looked at the document submitted by my good friend Mithika Linturi and it is nothing more than a love letter from a jilted lover. These are grievous matters of national importance to be reduced to love matters. Ukiachwa achika!" asserted Wamboka. "It is unfair to keep dragging the good lady Marianne Kitany into this matter. She has the right ya kukukataa ama kukubali. Allow her to proceed on with her life."
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He went on, "It should not be fair that whenever important issues are brought up, your personal affairs should always come up. The good lady needs to move on, has a family, and should be allowed to live in peace."
Senior Counsel John Khaminwa, the MP's attorney, concurred with the MP's comments, stating that Linturi's attempt to characterize the impeachment process as a personal matter is unacceptable.
Khaminwa underlined the importance of concentrating on important national issues rather than bringing up irrelevant or personal relationships.
"I was reading a response filed before the select committee and the main defence appears to be... that 'what is before the parliament of Kenya dealing with grave national issues is because of my ex-wife. 'My ex-wife is the one bringing trouble'.
"It is unbelievable that you should trivialise a matter of national issue and say it is your ex-wife doing this," said Khaminwa.
He emphasized that irrelevant ideas like love, tribalism, or religion should not be brought up in the context of the impeachment.
He continued: "Let us not invoke mundane concepts of love, tribalism, religion. Those no longer make sense in Kenya in this context at all."
The committee, led by Mrasabit Woman Representative Naomi Waqo, will hear the motion for three days before retreating to compile a report that will be presented on Monday of next week at a special meeting of the National Assembly.
