‘There are no numbers to impeach Wetang’ula’ – MP Ruku
By Arnold Ngure, February 19, 2025Mbeere North MP Geoffrey Ruku has said that there are no numbers in the National Assembly to impeach speaker Moses Wetang’ula.
Speaking during a morning show on one of the local TV stations in the country, Ruku maintained that the Kenya-Kwanza MPs were the majority and that no such motion could fly.
“There are no numbers to conduct an impeachment process of the speaker of the National Assembly,” Ruku said.
“There are no grounds for the speaker to be impeached. For you to bring an impeachment motion there must be serious grounds. At the moment, there are no grounds but one or two people who are just malicious,” Ruku added.
The MP equally noted that the reorganization of committee leadership at the National Assembly had nothing to do with appeasing opposition politicians against impeaching Wetang’ula who survived a censure motion by the Grassroot Civilian Oversight Initiative organization on Monday, February 17, 2025.
Yatta MP Basil Ngui, however, maintained that an impeachment motion against Wetang’ula could easily sail through as disgruntled UDA legislators would gladly support it.
“If we went ahead with the impeachment, the current speaker would be at home by 10:00 am,” Ngui observed.
Censure quashed
National Assembly clerk Samuel Njoroge wrote back to the organization noting that a censure motion could only be brought to the floor of the house by a member of parliament.
“We have reviewed the Constitution, the Petition to Parliament (Procedure) Act, 2012, and the National Assembly Standing Orders. Standing Order 87(1) stipulates that the Speaker’s conduct can only be discussed through a substantive motion with at least three days’ notice,” Njoroge said.
“This response effectively shuts down the group’s attempt to challenge the Speaker’s leadership through external petitions.”
The group’s executive director Laban Omusundi had accused Wetang’ula of going against the demands of his office that he become impartial.
He stated that during the Western Kenya tour by President William Ruto in January 2025, Wetang’ula pledged support for the president, raising questions about his ability to remain impartial.
“He uncharacteristically assured the President that the Western region was behind his administration, reiterated that the region was Ruto’s last line of defence, and the frontier of defence against political acrimony from his rivals,” Omusundi said.
The leadership of key committees including those of trade and industry, budget and appropriations and regional integration are expected to be handed to members of the opposition coalition.