South Mugirango MP Sylvanus Osoro has dismissed Azimio’s claims to take up majority seats in the National Assembly.
Speaking in the House, Osoro argued that Azimio’s push has far-reaching consequences, including casting doubt on past decisions made by Parliament.
Osoro, who served as the Majority Whip before the High Court ruled that Azimio forms the majority, urged MPs to consider the broader implications of the ruling.
“What Millie Odhiambo has done can only happen in dreamland. It can’t work, and it won’t work,” Osoro said.
Odhiambo had written to National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, designating Suna East MP Junet Mohamed as the Leader of the Majority Party.
She also named Robert Mbui as the Deputy Leader of the Majority and herself as the Majority Whip, replacing Osoro.
However, Osoro insisted that the court ruling only annulled Wetang’ula’s earlier declaration that Kenya Kwanza was the majority party, but did not determine which coalition holds the majority.
Osoro argued that deciding the majority in the House is not a matter for the courts but rather a decision that should be made by the Speaker.
“It is upon the Speaker of this House to determine who is the majority and who is the minority,” Osoro said.
The MP also warned that changing the House leadership would have implications, including affecting allowances paid to majority and minority leaders during their tenure.
“We need to ask ourselves what will happen to the IEBC selection panel and the money that has already been paid as allowances in this House,” Osoro said.
The composition of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) selection panel was based on the majority-minority structure in Parliament.
Additionally, slots in the Parliamentary Service Commission are distributed according to party strength in the House.
Speaker Wetang’ula clarified that the High Court did not declare who holds the majority and minority positions in the National Assembly.
“We have gone back to square one because the court cannot determine who is the majority and who is the minority,” Wetang’ula stated.
“The speaker will now have to make a factual determination on the matter,” he added.
