Lawmakers move to shield House leaders from ouster
Garissa Township MP Aden Duale who was removed as the leader of majority in the National Assembly. Lawmakers have now made it harder to oust House majority and minority leaders.
Lawmakers have now made it harder to oust House majority and minority leaders.
It will now require the names and signatures of at least a quarter of all the members of the largest party or coalition in the National Assembly to remove the leaders of majority and minority in the House.
This comes after MPs Thursday passed amendments to Standing Orders following the adoption of the report of the Committee Procedure and House Rules. The new provision in the Standing Orders effectively makes it difficult for nominating parties or coalitions to remove the officeholders at will.
“A member of the largest party or coalition of parties may propose the removal of the leader of majority by submitting a motion for consideration by the largest party or coalition of parties together with the names and signatures of at least a quarter of all the members of the largest party or coalition of parties in support,” reads the new rule.
Majority of votes
The leader of majority shall then be removed by a majority of votes of all members of the largest party or coalition of parties in the National Assembly.
The rule, although provided in a separate Standing Order, also applies to the removal of the leader of a minority party or coalition of parties in the House.
Last June, a Jubilee Parliamentary Group (PG) meeting at Kenyatta International Convention Centre chaired by party leader President Kenyatta took less than 45 minutes to pass a resolution removing Garissa Township MP Aden Duale as the leader of majority.
Mr Duale would be replaced by Kipipiri MP Amos Kimunya in the PG meeting that Deputy President William Ruto, then the deputy party leader, who has since formed the United Democratic Alliance to front his presidential bid, did not attend.
Opportunity to be heard
Those who attended the meeting complained that Mr Duale was not given an opportunity to be heard and that no minutes were recorded.
It was also claimed by those sympathetic to Mr Duale that a majority of the Jubilee MPs did not support Mr Duale’s removal from the influential position.
The new rules shall apply to the House that will be inaugurated after the August 9 polls.
