“For the Speakership three candidates will proceed for election which will take place on Thursday at 9am after the swearing-in of the Members,” he stated/HILARY MWENDA
NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 29 – Incumbent National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi will defend his seat against Noah Migudo and Washington Onyango when the 12th Parliament sits on Thursday.
The Clerk of the National Assembly Michael Sialai said the trio qualified to vie after they met the requirements, including being supported by a minimum of 20 Members of the National Assembly.
“For the Speakership three candidates will proceed for election which will take place on Thursday at 9am after the swearing-in of the Members,” he stated.
Twenty-three people had initially collected the nomination forms when the Clerk announced the vacancy on Friday but only six returned the applications as at Tuesday morning’s deadline.
The candidatures of Jim Boniface Augo, Isaac Wangengi Wainaina, Gladys Kasiva Ngao failed as their nomination papers were not accompanied by names and signatures of 20 elected MPs in support of their bids.
Kuresoi North MP Moses Cheboi is set to replace Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso as Deputy Speaker after fellow MPs-elect Martha Wangare (Gilgil) and Naisula Lesuuda (Samburu West) who were eyeing the seat failed to return the forms, documents supporting their qualifications and at least 20 names and signatures supporting them for the seats.
Speaking during the pre-swearing and orientation session for newly elected Members of the National Assembly, Speaker Muturi said he was confident his track record at the helm of the Legislature will earn him re-election.
“Some of us have been doing elections many times; what we ought to do is expect fair competition. We will be expecting that each one of us has a track record that they will be offering to the Members,” said the incumbent Speaker.
In regards to NASA allied MPs’ threat to boycott the first sitting, Sialai said none of the newly elected MPs had given notice that they will be absent, adding that the House will commence business when it attains the 50 MPs needed for a quorum.
“We have invited Members as per the Constitution and as per the Standing Orders which provide that we need to notify Members and we look forward to having all Members in the House. The House will be properly constituted if they will be a quorum,” the Clerk of the National Assembly told a news conference.
At the same time, NASA allied MPs Raphael Wanjala (Budalang’i) and Tom Odede said they were looking forward to Thursday’s swearing-in.
“That is a very important day because we have already invited our family and other guests and they are travelling from the constituency and they are telling us we must take Oath of Office and because of that, I will be taking my Oath.”
Secondly, this is a ceremony that is personal to me. Don’t forget I have been out in the cold for the last 10 years,” Wanjala said.
“As an MP from the NASA, we still have to go and agree as a team on what we are going to do on Thursday. As at now let me not say yes or no,” said Odede, a former Union of Kenya Civil Servants (UKCS) Secretary General.
MPs Liza Chelule (Nakuru County Woman Representative), Janet Ongera (Kisii) and Martha Wangare (Gilgil) who served as Nominated Senators during the term of the 11th Parliament, said they were not demoting themselves in their quest to run for the National Assembly.
They called on women to register in groups to be able to benefit from government funds targeting women and youth.
The women MPs who were joined by Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa said that they are keen to empower their fellow women folk through the provision of funds to start businesses and engage in meaningful economic activities.
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