Kenya Kwanza, Azimio MPs clash over majority status in first Parliament sittingSpeaking when Speaker Moses Wetangula gave them the opportunity to deliberate on the aforesaid matter before making a final decision on the same, the rival politicians both maintained that their political affiliations reigned supreme in the House in terms of having more numbers and sway over Parliamentary proceedings.
Mps allied to the Kenya Kwanza alliance and the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party on Tuesday continued their war of words over which political coalition between the two makes up the majority in the National Assembly.
Speaking when Speaker Moses Wetangula gave them the opportunity to deliberate on the matter before making a final decision on the same, the rival politicians both maintained that their political affiliations reigned supreme in the House in terms of having more numbers and sway over Parliamentary proceedings.
Laikipia North MP Sarah Korere claimed that the Constitution presently recognises Azimio as the official majority party in the parliament.
However, Kenya Kwanza-allied Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah stated: “I think Korere is completely out of order because there is nothing in the Constitution, either in Article 107 or Article 108, that decrees that a party by name is the majority party and I think it is important that she withdraws that statement because it is defilement of the Constitution to purport that the constitution decrees Azimio as the majority party.”
MP of Ganze Kenneth Kazungu based on recent developments that have seen Azimio affiliate parties come to Kenya Kwanza, further making the coalition’s prospects of achieving majority status in Parliament.
As per Kazungu, the change in political allegiances should come as no surprise since Azimio allegedly belittled the support of these affiliate parties, on the campaign trail, in the days leading up to the August 9th polls.
“Nikisimama hapa nashangaa kuskia ya kwamba watu wa Azimio-One Kenya coalition wanasema kuwa chama cha PAA ni miongoni mwa vile vyama viko katika muungano huo. PAA kilitoka katika muungano wa Azimio on May 8, 2022, miezi mitatu kabla ya uchaguzi na hii ilifanyika kwa sababu hii ndoa ya PAA na Azimio ilikuwa si ndoa sawa kwa sababu kulikuwa na mizozano sana,” he said.
“Watu wa Azimio walikuwa wamejaa kiburi na walikuwa wamejaa madharau. Kama hawakuwa wanatutaka wakati huo, nashindwa ni kwa nini mnatutaka saa hii.”
His sentiments were however countered by Azimio-allied Nominated MP Sabina Chege, who noted that the coalition party documents inked by the said affiliate parties bound them to Azimio despite their change of camps.
She similarly alluded to the Office of the Registrar of Political Party’s (ORPP) alleged confirmation of Azimio’s majority status in the National Assembly.
“Even if they go the document they signed, whether they had read it or not, is binding and so Azimio coalition has several parties and we are the majority,” she said.
“I know you have received communication from the Registrar of Political Parties so we are not disputing who the majority is, give us a chance and agree on the way forward to form the House Business Committee so that then we can serve the people of Kenya.”
Azimio counterpart and fellow Nominated MP John Mbadi correspondingly reiterated that Azimio-affiliated parties fall under the larger Azimio la Umoja One Kenya umbrella despite the recent cases of decamping.
“Hon. Sylvanus Osoro was saying that you cannot stop a political party from going to bed with another. Yes, you can’t stop anybody from going to bed with another but you can stop another marriage before the earlier marriage is dissolved,” he said.
Alego Usonga MP Sam Atandi, another Azimio loyalist, likewise insinuated that Speaker Wetangula would be undermining the Constitution by designating Kenya Kwanza as the majority in Parliament despite the alleged ORPP rejoinder on the same.
“Confine yourself to the Standing Orders of this House which say that the authority from where you are supposed to receive the guidelines on the majority leadership of members of this House is the Registrar of Political Parties,” he said.
“I want to urge you to restrict yourself to that standing order when you make your decision on this matter because we cannot purport to be guiding you on which side is majority when the law is also very clear. If you rule in any other way then you are mutilating this democracy.”
Speaker Wetangula however suspended the naming of the Majority and Minority leaders in the House to Thursday.
BY: ISAIAH WASWA