Revealed: Why Moses Wetangula’s nomination for National Assembly Speaker lies in limbo
The nomination of Moses Wetangula to be the Speaker of the National Assembly lies in limbo due to gaps within the constitution.
Mr Wetangula who is the Bungoma Senator was unanimously nominated by the Kenya Kwanza to occupy the position which is currently being held by the coalition’s co-Principal Justine Muturi.
However, it will be hard for Mr Wetangula to step down from his position as Senator-elect Bungoma County and enter the race to be the Speaker because the law dictates that he has to write to the Speaker of the Senate.
The former Speaker of the Senate Mr Ken Lusaka was voted as the Bungoma Governor and will be sworn into office on Thursday, August 25, 2022.
Equally, Jubilee Party has nominated Ms Margaret Kamar who is the immediate former Speaker at the Senate to be a lawmaker in the same house.
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This means that neither the speaker nor the Deputy Speaker are available to receive the resignation letter from Mr Wetangula before he can head to the National Assembly and battle for the speaker position.
The Kenyan Constitution under Article 103 gives several ways in which the office of a lawmaker either in the Senate or parliament can be declared vacant.
In the case of Mr Wetangula who is also the Ford Kenya Party leader, he only has to resign by penning a letter to the speaker in order for him to be allowed to step down.
It remains unclear what his option will be now that the office of the Speaker is vacant.
On Saturday, Kenya Kwanza made the announcement that Mr Wetangula was headed to the National assembly and will be contesting for the Speaker’s position in an announcement made by Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi.
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The meeting was held at Deputy President William Ruto’s residence in Karen, Nairobi County.
“I have the singular honour and privilege on behalf of Kenya Kwanza to announce that we have unanimously agreed that the Speaker nominee for the National Assembly for the Kenya Kwanza coalition shall be Moses Masika Wetangula, Papa wa Roma,” Mudavadi said.
Mr Wetangula also accepted the nomination as he said that he was glad he was going to be the third in command in the country.
He also endorsed his long-time Personal Assistant Wafula Wakoli to take over as the Bungoma Senator.
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