The dance starts as Wetang’ula replaces Sabina with Mwenje

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula finally approved the removal of Nominated MP Sabina Chege as Deputy Minority Whip, but the move has seemingly added fuel to the fire.

Delays by the Speaker to make the communication had threatened to derail the work of the National Dialogue Committee as Azimio decried dishonesty from the Kenya Kwanza side.

Azimio had even warned that it was reconsidering its involvement in a retreat to finalise the talks.

After Wetang’ula replaced nominated MP Sabina Chege with Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje, the stage appeared set for another battle.

“We put naysayers on notice that as a party, we are not done yet,” Eldas MP Adan Kenyan said at a press conference late Friday. With him were Sirisia MP John Waluke and Sabina.

The trio announced that they will move to challenge the legality of the new Deputy Whip of Azimio Coalition.

Keynan said Mwenje belongs to a party (Jubilee) that has distanced itself from the Azimio Coalition.

He added that the finding by Wetang’ula that Jubilee is a Parliamentary Party was well-grounded on sound Parliamentary Standing Orders and the Constitution.

“We shall now chart our future within the bicameral setup of the 13th Parliament with the right to associate with any coalition of the willing,” he explained.

Mwenje was on Wednesday appointed Deputy Minority Party Whip replacing Sabina, who had been holding the position since the beginning of the 13th Parliament. 

 “Honourable Members I guide the House as follows; that there currently exists no bar against the decision made by the Minority Party to replace its Deputy Whip. Standing Order 20 (a) 5 requires the Speaker to convey a decision to replace a whip to the House. In this regard Mark Mwenje forthwith replaces Sabina Chege, as the Deputy Whip of the Minority Party,” the Speaker said.

According to the Speaker, a party or collision of parties is allowed by the Standing Orders to designate their leaders, deputy leaders, whips and their deputies upon recognition as a Parliamentary Party.

In his Communication, the Speaker stated that the replacement of Sabina had earlier been suspended following a court order issued by Kiambu High Court on May 30, 2023.

“Members, you will recall that on June 8, 2023, I issued a communication on the replacement of Deputy Minority Whip. In that communication, I did guide the House that the correspondence received on the replacement of Sabina Chege as the Deputy Minority Whip had been effectively suspended by a court order. The order in question was issued on May 30, 2023 at Kiambu High Court,” Speaker Wetang’ula said.

The Speaker disclosed that his office is now in receipt of a ruling delivered by the same court dismissing the matter.

During the week, MPs started to vet 27 individuals nominated for positions of Ambassadors and High Commissioners by President William Ruto.

Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations will conduct the exercise, which is expected to be concluded on November 2, 2023.

The Committee is subsequently expected to table its Report on or before November 8, 2023, to enable the House to consider the matter within the statutory timelines.

During the week, the National Assembly adjourned its afternoon sitting on October 25 pursuant to Standing Order 33 (1), to discuss the ongoing evictions and demolitions in Mavoko, Machakos County.

According to the mover of the Adjournment Motion, Robert Mbui (Kathiani), the evictions that started on October 5, 2023, have left more than 10,000 families homeless.

Mbui called for the compensation of the affected families saying they are not guilty of any wrongdoing and that their only mistake was purchasing land as a result of trust for the sellers and building homes for their families on the land.

Leader of the Majority Party leader Kimani Ichung’wah accused the County Government of Machakos of authorising the building of houses in the contested land without provision of the requisite title deeds.