Wandayi on Monday gave Muturi 24 hours to allow him back to the House or face contempt proceedings for disobeying a court order/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 13 – Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi is expected to appear before the National Assembly’s Committee of Privileges Thursday, which will determine admissibility of a court order for his readmission to the House.
The decision to give him a hearing follows Speaker Justin Muturi’s ruling that it handles the matter.
This came days after the High Court Justice George Odunga temporarily suspended Muturi’s decision that barred Wandayi from Parliament until February.
In a letter addressed to the MP, Senior Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly Michael Sialai said the Committee wants to give Wandayi a fair hearing on the matter.
“This is to inform you that the matter of your suspension from the service of the House on March 31, 2016 has been referred to the Committee of Privileges. The Committee wishes to provide you an opportunity to be heard on the matter on Thursday July 14, 2016 at the National Assembly Speaker’s Boardroom at 2.30pm,” read the letter dated July 11, 2016.
Wandayi on Monday gave Muturi 24 hours to allow him back to the House or face contempt proceedings for disobeying a court order.
The MP was among Opposition MPs ordered out of Parliament on March 31 after they disrupted President Uhuru Kenyatta’s State of the Nation address by persistently blowing whistles.
As Wandayi was being escorted off the precincts, the Speaker delivered a verdict that he would be a stranger in the precincts of Parliament for the next 11 months when the Fourth Session of the Eleventh Parliament concludes.
Section 10(4) of the National Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act (Cap 6 Laws of Kenya) provides as follows; the Committee of Privileges shall, either of its own motion or as a result of a complaint made by any person, inquire into any alleged breach by any member of the Assembly of the Code of Conduct issued under Section 9, or into any conduct of any member of the Assembly within the precincts of the Assembly (other than the Chamber) which is alleged to have been intended or likely to reflect adversely on the dignity or integrity of the Assembly or the Member thereof, or to be contrary to the best interests of the Assembly or the members thereof.
The Committee of Privileges shall, after such inquiry as is referred to in sub-section (4), report its findings to the Assembly together with such recommendations as it thinks appropriate.
The Speaker directed Committee to table its report on Tuesday next week.
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