Nairobi assembly majority coalition row deepens as UDA ignore Ngondi’s ruling

By , October 24, 2022

Leadership wrangles in the Nairobi County assembly may be far from over after Ward reps affiliated to United Democratic Alliance (UDA) vowed to disregard a ruling by Speaker Ken Ng’ondi ( pictured) that recognised Azimio la Umoja One Kenya party as the majority coalition.

 And in what could even slow the house from convening any business, last week, a Nairobi court also barred Speaker Ng’ondi from recognising Azimio as the majority.

 Milimani Law Courts magistrate Cosmas Maundu on Wednesday, October 19, barred the majority leader, majority whip, deputy majority whip, and members of the county assembly board from Azimio upheld by Ng’ondi from assuming office until the hearing and determination of the case filed.  Peter Imwatok, John Ndile, and Moses Ogeto had been fronted as the majority leader, deputy majority, and whip respectively.

 Elijah Omung’ala was fronted as deputy majority whip while Catherine Opiyo was elected as a member of the county assembly service board.  The case was filed by Titus Kiilu, a voter in Nairobi.

 The petitioner stated that Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and United Democratic Alliance (UDA) have 52 MCAs, Jubilee Party has nine while Chama Cha Kazi has one member.

 According to him, Azimio is not a coalition party, instead, it is a political party that has no elected leaders.

 “Azimio La Umoja one Kenya Coalition Political Party has not sponsored any elected or nominated member of the County Assembly of Nairobi. The Respondents’ actions, if left unchecked, could result in gross violation of Constitutional rights and freedoms to the Petitioner and would be a gross miscarriage of justice,” argued Kiilu.

County assembly

 Following the standoff, Ngara MCA Chege Mwaura requested intervention from the Registrar of Political Parties (RPP) on the definition of a coalition of parties and a coalition party.  Chege noted that, unlike Kenya Kwanza, which is a coalition of parties, Azimio is a coalition party with no members in the Nairobi County Assembly.

 Both the UDA and the ODM currently have 52 MCAs in the assembly, while Jubilee has nine, Wiper has six, and Chama Cha Kazi has one.

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