AN assistant minister found himself in trouble from colleagues after he claimed Parliament was losing track and had lost direction. Public Works assistant minister Dick Wathika said Parliament is usurping the role of the executive.

"What you are seeing in Kenya today is Parliamentary dictatorship where one side which has the numbers takes everything," he said. The Makadara MP said Parliament should keep to its role of making the laws and the Judiciary should be left to interpret while the Executive implements them.

The remarks landed him in trouble from Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Richard Onyonka, MPs Robert Monda and Simon Ogari who told Wathika that Parliament is playing its watchdog role and has not overstepped its mandate. The venue of the clash was Nyamagwa in Nyaribari Chache constituency during the burial of Agnes Oira, a sister to Public Works minister Chris Obure.

Also present were Education minister Sam Ongeri, North Mugirango MP Wilfred Ombui, PS Leah Guuiyo and Kisii University College principal John Akama. "Parliament makes laws and ensures that they are being implemented properly. We are rightly playing our role of a watchdog," Monda said.

Onyonka said Parliament respects the President but added that MPs will not allow him to break the law.

"We want to tell our brother (Wathika) that as Parliament we will not allow the President to overstep his executive powers in violating laws that are made by the House," Onyonka said:

"We cannot make laws, surrender them to the President but when it comes to implementing them, he decides to either implement or not." He said the recommended reforms onAgenda4 should be concluded to avert chaos as witnessed after the 2007 General Election.

"The country needs reforms and strong institutions so that we don't-experience such violence again," Onyonka said Ongeri called for forgiveness and reconciliation.