Nyeri MCAs left out of House teams file court case

Nyeri County Assembly during a past session. 

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • They want the list passed last month declared unconstitutional and further orders that all MCAs must be included in at least two committees.
  • In their petition, they state that the move is contrary to standing orders which stipulate that each MCA should be in at least two committees.

Nine Nyeri ward representatives have moved to court after they were left out of county assembly committees.

They want the list passed last month declared unconstitutional and further orders that all MCAs must be included in at least two committees.

The group has also petitioned the Jubilee Party headquarters over the matter.

A motion moved by Majority leader James Kanyugo on August 25, 2020 effectively removed the nine from all committees they had served since 2017.

In their petition, they state that the move is contrary to standing orders which stipulate that each MCA should be in at least two committees.

The petitioners — Michael Karumba, Clement Warutere, Simon Muturi, Stanley Wakibia, Mary Wamuyu, Kenneth Gatheru, Atanasio Kabaire, Caroline Muthoni and Mary Ndomo — are accusing Majority leader James Kanyugo of punishing them because they hold divergent opinions.

“The said de-whipping of the petitioners is an affront to the petitioners’ right to exercise a democratic right on behalf of the people of Nyeri County. The new list of committee members is not distributed evenly among the sub-counties,”  they argue.

They say the Majority leader was assigned eight committee seats while Majority whip Sebastian Mugo got seven committee seats.  “This skewed allocation of seats has serious consequences in the efficient delivery of services to the people of Nyeri,” the petition states.

The case will be mentioned on September 29.