A fresh row looms at the Nairobi county assembly over the ‘occupancy’ of the deputy speaker’s post a day after the Minority side settled on former Mayor Geoffrey Majiwa to fill the position.
This happened despite there being no vacancy as Ruai MCA John Kamangu still holds the position. Kamangu told Jubilee MCAs after Majiwa’s nomination that he was still in office.
“Let me take this opportunity to tell our members that the seat of the deputy speaker is not vacant. I am the deputy speaker and I don’t want our people to listen to the rumour mongers. Please stand with me,” he said.
ODM had on Wednesday said while announcing its pick that there was an agreement with Jubilee that the position would be filled by the Minority side after it backed the election of the ruling party’s Benson Mutura as the speaker.
Deputy Majority Whip Waithera Chege says ODM should have followed the law regarding the appointment of deputy speaker.
““As a party we have no problem in giving the deputy speaker position. There is no dispute about that but the law has to be followed,” she said.
“How do you nominate a person and the office holder is still in office?” she asked.
Majiwa’s name was included in a communication on leadership changes from ODM in line with efforts to create a harmonious environment in the county assembly.
Kamangu is facing an impeachment motion after more than 50 MCAs appended their signature for his ouster.
According to Nairobi City County Assembly Standing Order 15 (4) the procedure of electing a deputy speaker shall with necessary modification, be the same as that prescribed for the election of the speaker.
Waithera said it would have been courteous for ODM to wait until the seat is declared vacant.
“We (Jubilee) have no problem in replacing the same person but we follow the procedure. There was a process of electing our new speaker and the law was followed. This (deputy speaker’s) case is not different,” she said.
Aware of the impeachment motion facing Kamangu, Jubilee secretary general Raphel Tuju last week said the Ruai MCA would step down as deputy speaker.
“The speaker was a handshake candidate and there were consultations between Jubilee and ODM and we got them to support our candidate. Likewise we shall support (them) if they introduce a candidate for the deputy speaker’s position,” Tuju said.
He added: “If they do bring a candidate we shall support in the interest of bringing peace in Nairobi.”
Nairobi ODM chairman George Aladwa confirmed the deal and said a new deputy speaker was to be elected this week.
Whether Kamangu will resign is now a matter of watch and wait.