National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah and Minority Leader Junet Mohammed on Wednesday, February 12 night skipped a TV interview, citing a summon.
Citizen TV anchor Jeff Koinange announced just before the 9 p.m. bulletin that the two ranking Members of Parliament (MPs) had been scheduled for an interview on his JKL show but would miss it due to the summon.
According to him, both Ichung’wah and Junet called about half an hour before the show, claiming they would not be able to make it, as they had been summoned to State House.
This comes at a time when there has been a stalemate at the National Assembly over which coalition between Kenya Kwanza and Azimio is the majority party.
Earlier on Wednesday, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula had overruled a High Court ruling on the majority and minority stalemate between the Azimio la Umoja coalition and Kenya Kwanza coalitions.
“Here is the story. We had invited the Majority leader of Parliament Kimani Ichung’wah and Minority leader Junet Mohamed to come on the show to talk about what the High Court ruled and what the Speaker overruled. They both agreed they were coming to the show but guess what they called us about half an hour ago and said they had been summoned to State House. Do the math, they’re not coming,” Koinange said.
Junet takes over Kimani Ichung’wah’s seat
On Tuesday, MP Junet addressed the house while seating at Ichung’wa’s Majority position inside Parliament.
He asserted that he has the capacity, qualifications, capabilities, numbers and everything that it takes to take lead of the role.
Also Read: Wetangula Rules on Majority Stalemate Between Kenya Kwanza and Azimio
However, Speaker Wetang’ula when overruling the High Court decision on Wednesday said that the majority and minority party of the house remains unchanged.
While making the decision, the Speaker noted that Azimio consists of 154 members while Kenya Kwanza consists of 165 members.
“Azimio la Umoja One Kenya party consists of 154 members. The Kenya Kwanza consists of 165 members. It is notable that the numbers on Azimio are changed by a slight change in membership. However, I decline to engage in this controversy,” he said.
Following the decision, the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition moved to withdraw its members from the National Assembly House Business Committee.
The pronouncement came before they walked out in protest of Speaker Wetang’ula’s declaration.
Led by Junet Mohamed the leaders said they will be withdrawing their members from all-powerful committees.
One of those committees is the House Business Committee (HBC) tasked with organizing and managing the legislative agenda.
“I have been asked to convey to you on the floor of the House that we have withdrawn our members from the House Business Committee,” Junet said.
However, Speaker Wetang’ula and MP Ichung’wah went on to assert that the move will not stop the committee from transacting.
Stalemate
The debate over which coalition holds the majority in the National Assembly and Senate has been a contentious issue following the ruling by a three-judge bench which declared Wetang’ula’s previous recognition of President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza Alliance as the Majority party unconstitutional.
Also Read: Wetang’ula Recognizes Junet Mohamed as Majority Leader
Justices Lawrence Mugambi, John Chigiti, and Jairus Ngaah, the three-judge found that the Speaker violated the Constitution by declaring Kenya Kwanza as the Majority Party, ruling that the determination was made without sufficient legal basis.
The court while ruling on a petition filed by 12 rights activists described as “citizens of Kenya and registered voters” noted that there was no evidence to support claims that five political parties had formally left the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition and joined Kenya Kwanza Alliance by signing the necessary post-election agreements.
Additionally, the court held that the Speaker’s declaration lacked both legal and factual justification, holding that he violated the Constitution by making the declaration.
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