Tarime legislator conduct riles Speaker Tulia

SPEAKER of the National Assembly, Dr Tulia Ackson on Tuesday expressed her dismay over the conduct of Tarime Rural legislator, Mwita Waitara (CCM).

On Tuesday, Mr Waitara burst into tears in Parliament after claiming that he was not satisfied with the government response on compensation claims to people in his constituent. He removed his blazer and tie and stormed out of House in obvious protest.

The Speaker cautioned the Tarime legislator, telling him that the act of removing some of his clothes in the House goes against Parliamentary ethics and standing orders.

Before walking out of the Parliament, Mr Waitara burst into tears following what he termed as unsatisfactory response given by the government concerning compensation to people in his constituency.

The Speaker issued the caution while responding to Rorya Member of Parliament, Jafari Chege (CCM), who had sought the Speaker’s guidance on the incident in accordance with House Standing Orders.

Chege asked for the Speaker’s guidance due to Waitara’s action, which caused a stir, something that has never happened before and asked the chair to fix the matter.

Responding while concluding Parliament session in the evening, Dr Tulia noted that Waitara was given the opportunity to ask his two questions as required by the rules of the Parliament but he did not do so.

“Instead, he said and I quote, ‘Mr Chairman, I am very sorry that the people of Tarime do not know who their greatest enemy is… The Minister of Minerals, while concluding his budget speech said that compensation payment will be paid before June.”

He added, “The mine assured me that they have requested the board to allow them to pay compensation for people in Nyamichele areas, but it is 11 years now and these people have not been paid, it is very painful.”

The Speaker said that the Parliament Chairman who was handling the question and answer session, David Kihenzile, asked Mr Waitara to ask his questions if he was not satisfied with the response, but the MP refused and claimed that he had nothing to ask because what was answered by the government was a lie.

She said after uttering those words his microphone was turned off and that is when Mr Waitara decided to walk out while the House was still in session. In the process, he took off his blazer and tie, which is a breach of Parliament rules.

She said that according to the rules, if a Member of Parliament is not satisfied with the government’s response, he or she should wait until the end of the session and asks for guidance from the Speaker, where his or her issue will be dealt with according to the rules.

“The rules of Parliament have established a procedure for the steps that the Member of Parliament must take if he or she is not satisfied with the response and after the Speaker is satisfied that the question of the Member of Parliament has not been answered, the Speaker will order that it should be answered again in the next session,” she explained.

In his basic question the former cabinet Minister wanted to know when his voters from Komarera, Nyamichele and Murwambe in Barrick North Mara mine will be paid compensation.

Responding, Deputy Minister for Energy, Stephen Byabato, said Barrick Gold North Mara had showed interest of taking some of the villages surrounding the mine which are Komarera, Nyamichele and Murwambe.

He said after the villagers heard that their villages will be taken by the mine they started constructing new buildings which prompted the company to suspend the plan because the areas do not affect their operations.

After the deputy minister responded to his question, Tarime Rural MP was given a chance to ask a supplementary question but instead he expressed his dissatisfaction with the government response.