Junet: We've withdrawn our members from House Business Committee

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula on Wednesday ruled that the Kenya Kwanza coalition party is the majority in the House with 165 members against Azimio’s 154.

The Speaker said in line with the foregoing, the status quo of the House leadership on the majority and minority sides remains since he had not received any communication from either faction seeking to make changes.

Wetang’ula’s ruling mirrors one he delivered in 2022, which the High Court in its ruling on February 7, said could not stand considering there was no proof Kenya Kwanza signed political agreements accommodating 14 MPs who defected from four Azimio-affiliated parties.

Following Wednesday's ruling, Leader of Majority Junet Mohamed said Azimio would in protest withdraw its members from the House Business Committee.

The committee is charged with among other responsibilities, make decisions and issue directives and guidelines to prioritise or postpone any business of the House and determine the order in which the reports of committees shall be debated in the House.

“I have no intentions to speak on your ruling Mr Speaker, I want to speak on the matter that is before the House now,” Junet said when he stood on a point of order.

“Under instructions from our parliamentary group, before you put the question, I have been asked to convey to you on the floor of the House that we have withdrawn our members from the House Business Committee,” he said.

As such, Junet said it would be a nullity for the House to pass the decision on any business before it without Azimio’s input.

“Now you can consider me as majority or minority, whichever way you take,” Junet said. However, when he rose to respond, Majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah said the House Business Committee will continue to sit and execute its mandate with or without Azimio members being present.

“The House Business Committee is duly constituted. With or without the participation of the four members from Azimio, the House Business Committee will sit and so Mr Speaker as chair of the committee, you will be advising on when to have our first sitting hopefully after the adjournment of this House this afternoon,” he said.

Ichungwah said wrangling over House leadership cannot be allowed to continue at the expense of service delivery to Kenyans on whose behalf MPs are exercising delegated power.

“That is what we should put ahead of any other consideration,” the Kikuyu MP said.

He wondered why members of the House would want to fight over the majority seat whereas the perks the occupant enjoys are similar to those bestowed to the minority leadership.

Junet later led the Azimio troops in a walkout from the House in protest to the speaker’s ruling.