Kalonzo Calls Azimio PG Meeting Following High Court Ruling » Capital News
NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 9 – Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka has convened a Parliamentary Group (PG) meeting for Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya on Wednesday next week.
This follows a High Court decision that nullified Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula’s declaration of Kenya Kwanza as the majority party.
“I spoke to Raila Odinga and Uhuru Kenyatta. We want an Azimio PG so that we can plan. The situation is that Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya is the majority party,”
“On Wednesday, we want a Parliamentary Group meeting after you have met on Tuesday so that we can organize ourselves,” Musyoka said while addressing mourners at a funeral in Kitui.
The former Vice President opined that the decision served as a lesson for former Azimio politicians who defected to Kenya Kwanza, questioning their faith and belief in the coalition.
“Those who were praising Ruto, I know you are feeling awkward; you could have been patient and waited. These friends who ran to join Ruto, I suggest they do some introspection,” Musyoka remarked.
The opposition leader also expressed confidence that the ruling would stand, urging Azimio MPs to remain firm.
Musyoka bashed Opposition leader Raila Odinga allies who are now Cabinet Secretaries, John Mbadi (Treasury), Opiyo Wandayi (Energy), Hassan Joho (Mining), and Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives)—for joining Ruto’s administration.
“We hope there will be no stay order,” he said.
Court ruling
The High Court declared the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance coalition as the majority party in the National Assembly.
In its ruling, the three-judge bench consisting of Justices John Chigiti, Lawrence Mugambi, and Jairus Ngaah contended that Speaker Moses Wetangula should have followed the law when he declared Kenya Kwanza the Majority Party.
It argued that Wetangula had violated the constitution in issuing the ruling on October 6 2022 on the floor of the house which was deemed ‘Solomonic’.
He had ruled that Kenya Kwanza has 179 members in the House against Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party’s 157.
However, the ruling coalition emerged as the majority following a post-coalition agreement as 14 members from the opposition coalition and independent candidates shifted to Azimio.
“By assigning Kenya Kwanza the 14 members of the parties without any reason and declaring Kenya Kwanza as the majority leader, it follows that the Speaker violated the Constitution,” the court ruled.
In the judgment, the bench emphasized that the Speaker is supposed to act as a neutral arbiter.
According to the three-judge bench, the Speaker’s decisions should be independent and devoid of any political influence, emphasizing impartiality and adherence to constitutional principles.