Azimio senators storm out of Senate retreat over Speaker Kingi bias
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Azimio senators storm out of Senate retreat accusing Speaker Amason Kingi of allegedly stifling debate
Azimio senators storm out of Senate retreat accusing Speaker Amason Kingi of allegedly stifling debate.
Azimio senators on Monday stormed out of a retreat for the House accusing Speaker Amason Kingi of disparaging their leadership, restricting debate, and ramming through unconstitutional laws.
This comes as minority legislators are calling for public comment on the Affordable Housing Bill, 2023 to be given to all 47 counties prior to a House vote on the bill.
The National Assembly approved the contentious Bill, which is now before the Senate.
“We demand for public participation on the affordable housing bill that is currently before the senate. We don’t want the bill to be fast track as there have been many bills clawing back on devolution,” Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna said.
Senators, led by Kingi, Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot and Majority Whip Boni Khalwale are currently meeting at Argyle Grand Hotel on Mombasa Road.
The lawmakers are reviewing their performance in the last session and preparing for the new (third) session that started last month.
Minority Leader Stewart Madzayo accused the Kenya Kwanza wing of hijacking bills sponsored by their (opposition) members.
“We, the membership of the minority side, have left the said retreat in protest at the hypocrisy of the leadership of the Senate and especially the open disregard of the rules of the house and contempt directed at the minority side and its leadership,” Madzayo said.
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Addressing a press conference at Parliament Buildings, the lawmakers accused Kingi of ‘repeatedly and without legal justification, refusing to approve questions and motions sponsored by members of the Minority’.
“We have also seen well-choreographed attempts to stifle debate on the floor through unequal application of the standing orders,” Madzayo said.
He added;
“Some Members of the speaker’s panel appear to be under instruction to allow numerous and repeated frivolous points of order whenever a member of the minority is on the floor.”
“In view of the foregoing the minority demands strict application of the standing orders during debates without bias as well as the speaker ruling on each point of order,” Madzayo said.
Edwin Sifuna accused Kingi of ignoring the leadership of the opposition in running the affairs of the senate.
“It is professional misconduct for you not to respond to correspondences sent to you. Our minority whip sent a letter in May 2023 but you are yet to respond to it,” he said.
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