Azimio MPs now threaten to kick out Wetangula in supremacy fight

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula could be staring at a bleak future after MPs from the Azimio coalition threatened to impeach him.

By declaring that President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza Alliance held the majority numbers at 165 against Azimio’s 154, despite a court decision, the Speaker may have triggered a fresh battlefront.

On Wednesday, Wetangula explained that an earlier court judgement quashing his 2022 decision on the House majority did not give direction on which side is currently the majority or minority.

The Speaker also informed the House that based on information relayed from the Office of the Registrar of Political parties through a letter dated February 11, composition of membership of the Azimio Coalition was inferior to that of the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.

This, he said, was based on the fact that five splinter parties had severed ties with Azimio coalition while others had signed post-election pacts with Kenya Kwanza to shore up its numbers.

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According to the letter, People’s Liberation Party (former National Rainbow Coalition-Kenya), Maendeleo Chap Chap, Devolution Empowerment Party, United Democratic Movement and Pamoja African Alliance exited Azimio on various dates.

Further, Wetangula directed that an appeal be lodged on the High Court’s decision.

But in a move that signaled icy relations within the so-called broad-based government, Azimio’s leadership protested what they termed as the Speaker’s bias.

“As those who adhere to the rule of law, I want to indicate that as Azimio we very respectfully disagree with your communication. As Azimio, we are going to take further action and I respectfully note your communication, Mr Speaker,” said the Minority Chief Whip Millie Odhiambo.

The Speaker was, however, quick to rebut. “It’s not necessarily popular, it’s not necessarily likeable, it’s just the law. So when you obey the law, sometimes you may step on somebody, sometimes you may not but the law remains the law and in the law we trust.”

With the Speaker having closed the debate, Leader of Majority Kimani Ichung’wah rose to move a Motion for the constitution of the House Business Committee, which consequently set Parliament’s agenda. The nominees include MPs Robert Mbui (Kathiani), Francis Kajwang (Ruaraka), Adan Keynan (Eldas) and Sarah Korere (Laikipia North).

This, however, prompted a walk-out by Azimio MPs and constellations from the Leader of Minority, Junet Mohamed, who, in a move aimed at paralysing House Business, claimed that the Opposition party had withdrawn its nominees.

His submission was, however, overtaken by time as the Speaker ruled that in accordance with Standing Order 68, after the question (for the approval of the committee) has been put, the matter cannot be withdrawn without leave of the House. The team would later be approved.

And in a subsequent press briefing by a section of the Azimio MPs, the legislators complained of contradictions in Wetangula’s ruling.

Asked whether they would be impeaching the Speaker, Odhiambo said: “Yes, we just said it.”

Mohamed added: “It is going to be messy, noisy and it is going to have casualties. From the way Parliament is being handled, it is getting smelly. We don’t see any broad-based action in Parliament. We can already smell our first casualty. ”

“We have noted contradictions in the Speaker’s ruling. On the Jubilee Party he had said it is in Kenya Kwanza. Now today he says it is in Azimio. I can assure you that this ruling is another one that will be quashed.”

Odhiambo further pointed out that by the virtue of the Deputy Speaker Gladys Shollei writing to the office of the Registrar of Political Parties not only violated the doctrine of separation of powers but “raises questions about the biases of the Speaker.”