Speaker Wetangula issues direction on majority position amid standoff between Azimio and Kenya Kwanza
Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetangula issues direction on majority position amid standoff between Azimio and Kenya Kwanza.
The determination on which political party holds the majority of Members of Parliament (MPs) in the National Assembly will take longer amid standoff between Azimio and Kenya Kwanza after Speaker Wetangula’s directive.
On Tuesday, October 4, Speaker Moses Wetangula stated on the House floor that he was unable to carry out Standing Orders 19A(1)(4) and 20(A)(5) because he had received numerous names of candidates for the majority leadership in Parliament.
Wetangula acknowledged that the predicament created a conundrum and asked that the members discuss it in the house before he retreated to make a final pronouncement.
“Faced with these conflicting correspondences, you will agree with me that it is impossible for me and the Clerk to discharge those requirements of the standing orders at this moment
“With respect to the first question Honourable Members, I will reserve the rest of today’s Sitting to allow the House to address me on this matter so that I can retreat to issue my guidance,” the Speaker noted.
Given that the House Business Committee is chosen by the Majority, the power struggle between legislators connected to President William Ruto and former premier Raila Odinga posed a threat to the smooth operation of the House.
However, Speaker Wetangula dismissed the notion claiming that the settings would not be impacted and would proceed as planned.
In line with this, he picked his Deputy Gladys Shollei to oversee the conduction of certain house businesses.
“I will exercise my powers under Standing Order No. 1, and authorize the Deputy Speaker to lay certain papers in the House which have a statutory deadline and which the law requires that they must be laid in the House when it first sits,” he stated.
While making submissions before the House, Kikuyu MP and Kenya Kwanza nominee for the leader of the majority – Kimani Ichung’wah – argued that Azimio coalition was a party, but had no single seat in the National Assembly, thus is the minority.
Both coalitions, Azimio and Kenya Kwanza unveiled the list of nominees set to take up both Senate and National Assembly House leadership positions.
Despite losing some of its members to President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza, the Azimio leadership has maintained its claim that they are the majority in the National Assembly.
In the NA, Ruto’s group named positions for the majority side since they believe they are the majority side because they have secured the speaker’s post, just like Azimio.
Opiyo Wandayi, a Ugunja MP, was proposed by Azimio as the majority leader in the National Assembly.
As the preferred candidate for the majority leader of the National Assembly, Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah was backed by Kilifi North MP Owen Baya.
Also read,
Azimio and Kenya Kwanza list of nominees for parliamentary leadership
Experts oppose Ruto’s plan to reintroduce GMO crops warning of increased cases of cancer
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