National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has quashed the appointment of Suba South MP John Mbadi as Minority leader.
Muturi said the appointment of Mbadi and other three other NASA leaders was done unprocedurally.
"I call upon the coalition to consider the matter and submit the necessary names in strict fulfillment of the laid down procedures including those governing the coalition," the Speaker said on Thursday.
NASA had picked Ayub Lugari as deputy minority leader, Robert Mbui as minority chief whip and Chris Wamalwa as deputy minority whip.
The Speaker said communications he received from the Opposition on the appointments fell short of Standing Order requirements.
He said he received a letter from Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang'ula dated September 13 notifying him of NASA's resolution to appoint the four members.
Muturi said he received a subsequent letter dates September 21 from Mbadi notifying him that NASA is leaving the four positions pending a parliamentary group meeting where the coalition would deliberate on the decision.
“Although
this statement, especially coming from the Chief Executive Officer of
the NASA Secretariat can be inferred as a confirmation of the authority
for Senator Wetang'ula’s letter, the statement still falls short of the
threshold of Standing Order 20(4) which requires communication by the
Whip and attachment of the minutes of the meeting,” he said.
With the rejection, NASA does not have any leadership representation in the 12th Parliament.
Muturi asked the Opposition to make the appointments before the House resumes from recess on November 7.
Majority Leader Aden Duale said that government vehicles and privileges accorded to the four leaders should be retrieved immediately.
“It is shocking that one [NASA CEO] Norman Magaya can appoint leaders in NASA and front them to this House. Those powers and privileges should be confiscated immediately and the persons surcharged,” Duale said.
Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung'wa lauded the Speaker for instilling rule of law in Parliament.
“Your communication offers guidance on how we should conduct business in this House. This shows that we are governed by a rule of Law,” Ichung'wa said.
Jubilee has already formed some crucial House committees and warned the opposition it has numbers in both the Senate and National Assembly to form a quorum.
The committees that are already in place, without representation from the opposition, include the powerful House Business Committee, two ad hoc committees on proposed amendments to election laws and one on the supplementary budget.
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