Wetang’ula off the hook in House leadership fiasco

Speaker Moses Wetang’ula is out of trouble in the controversy surrounding the Majority coalition in the National Assembly.

In a twin victory yesterday, Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu and High Court judge Justice Mwamuye cleared the air.

In what has denied Azimio the required numbers to claim the Majority status, Nderitu said at least three parties that were initially part of Azimio have since decamped.

In a publication, she said the parties do not belong to any coalition.

They include the United Democratic Movement linked to Mandera Senator Ali Roba, Labour CS Alfred Mutua’s Maendeleo Chap Chap and Pamoja Alliance Party associated with Senate Speaker Amason Kingi.

Other parties that do not belong to any coalition are National Reconstruction Alliance and National Ordinary People Empowerment.

Nderitu’s move follows a High Court decision that ordered her to publish in at least two dailies the status of coalitions and political parties.

“The first respondent, the registrar of political parties, shall publish and publicise in at least two newspapers of national circulation and on its website the current status of political parties and political coalitions in terms of their registration status, composition and alignments,” the order reads.

Early this month, Wetang’ula said Kenya Kwanza was the Majority coalition in the House, despite a High Court decision that declared Azimio the Majority.

Wetang’ula said Azimio has 154 MPs while Kenya Kwanza has 165.

“Arising from the foregoing, Kenya Kwanza is the Majority and the Azimio is the Minority. The leadership of the House remains unchanged,” he said.

Wetang’ula said the court did not declare any party Majority or Minority and neither did it declare leader of Majority or Minority.

On February 7, a High Court ruling faulted Wetang’ula for declaring Kenya Kwanza the Majority.

However, the speaker in a position now upheld by the registrar said Azimio was registered in April 2022, and comprises 21 parties.

They include Jubilee, ODM, Wiper, Kanu, National Rainbow Coalition, Muungano Party, Democratic Action Party and Democratic Action Party Kenya.