The Azimio Coalition has filed a petition against National Assembly speaker Moses Wetang’ula for recognizing nominated Member of Parliament (MP) Sabina Chege as Jubilee Party Whip.
In the lawsuit dated Monday, December 11, Azimio said Wetang’ula is wasting public resources by allocating resources to Chege as temporary Jubilee Whip.
“The allocation of facilities to Hon. Sabina Chege as the interim whip of the Jubilee Party while Jubilee Party is still part of the Petitioner’s coalition, is misuse of public finance and hence unconstitutional,” read the petition in part.
Also, the opposition argued that the allocation of facilities to Chege is discriminatory since same facilities have not been extended to other whips of other parliamentary parties.
Besides, Azimio wants Wetang’ula to stop recognizing Jubilee as a parliamentary party.
According to the petition, Jubilee is still part of Azimio and Wetang’ula’s decision aims at splitting the Coalition.
“Wetang’ula’s action of recognizing Jubilee Party as a parliamentary party while it’s still part of the Azimio coalition is a personal decision, unconstitutional, with ill motives and intended to cause splitting up in Azimio,” read the petition.
Further, the petitioner said the Speaker is undermining the independence of political parties.
Azimio accused Wetang’ula of seizing the mandates of members of political parties and getting involved in the management of the internal affairs of the Petitioner’s Coalition.
“The recognition of Jubilee Party as a parliamentary party by the Speaker while not recognizing other parliamentary parties, is discriminatory and unconstitutional,” added the petition.
Azimio on Jubilee Wrangles
According to the petition, there is an elaborate procedure for a constituent political party to exit the Azimio Coalition.
In addition, Azimio said Wetang’ula’s action to recognize Jubilee as a parliamentary party infers removal of the party from the Coalition without following the stipulated procedure.
Also, Azimio explained that the wrangles in Jubilee that resulted in two factions in the party are internal problems that can be resolved through a National Delegates Conference (NDC).
The Coalition accused Wetang’ula of favoring the Jubilee wing led by Chege which has entered into an agreement with the Kenya Kwanza government.
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Wetang’ula Recognizes Jubilee as Parliamentary Party
Wetang’ula declared Jubilee a parliamentary party and handed Chege the powerful Whip position during a sitting on October 25, 2023.
Initially, Parliament only recognized Kenya Kwanza and Azimio la Umoja as the Majority and Minority in 13th Parliament.
“Jubilee is hereby recognized as a parliamentary party with the meaning of Standing Order 20A, this recognition does not in any way elevate it to or affects the status given to the majority and minority party by the Standing Orders and the Constitution, “ruled Wetangula.
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Chege was replaced by Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje who had been nominated by Azimio as her successor.
“Consequently, Sabina Chege by virtue of the written support of 21 out of 28 members of Jubilee members and on account of having been the last officially recognized member of the Jubilee party forming party of the leadership is allowed to perform in the interim the role of the Whip of that party in the House.”
This meant that Chege was entitled to enjoy same status as Majority Whip Silvanus Osoro and Minority Whip Junet Mohamed.