Senate Speaker Amason Kingi dodges decision on minority whip

Senate Speaker Amason Kingi yesterday continued to play hardball over recognition of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition House leadership changes, even after the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal washed its hands off the matter.

With temperatures in the House rising as Azimio senators accused him of employing delay tactics, Mr Kingi requested more time to carefully study the tribunal’s ruling before giving his considered communication.

Having struggled to achieve a quorum for the afternoon session, a majority of the senators complained the leadership changes row was eating into their crucial time and continues to paralyse important business of the House.

Handing over the speaker’s chair to Garissa Senator Abdul Haji (Jubilee), Mr Kingi requested 30 minutes to come back with a communication. But an hour later, the speaker had not come back.

"Don't come back"

Interestingly, when Mr Kingi was leaving the chair to Mr Haji, the senator whispered twice, “Usirudi boss (Don’t come back boss)”.

Getting restless, Migori Senator Eddie Oketch rose to inquire why the substantive speaker had not come back an hour later.

Read:  Respect Azimio, Raila tells Kingi in row over Senate changes

“Can we have guidance on this matter as it is extremely important we conclude on this matter today,” said Mr Oketch.

The House then became unruly with the senators involved in a war of words, calling each other unprintable words and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna thrown out for misconduct.

"Not aware"

Earlier in the session, Minority Leader Stewart Madzayo, rising on a point of order, had said the tribunal had given its ruling on Tuesday evening and wanted the changes communicated. However, Mr Kingi said he was not aware of the ruling and it had to be tabled before he could consider the matter.

“I am not aware of the ruling. I don’t go by rumours or newspaper cuttings. The only thing is when the order is served upon my office or you table the ruling. Unless that is not done, then I am afraid I will not be able to act on the point of order and make a ruling,” he said.

The tribunal had said Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo did not follow internal party mechanisms to resolve the leadership dispute. It said her application was premature and therefore it lacked jurisdiction to hear it.

Ms Dullo was last month removed as the Minority Whip and replaced with her deputy Narok Senator Ledama Olekina with Senator Sifuna taking over the Deputy Minority Whip position.

Read: Drama as Senate fails to communicate Azimio changes

“Having found that the tribunal lacks jurisdiction, it follows that delving into the question…will be an exercise in futility,” reads the ruling.

Nyamira Senator Okong’o Omogeni told the Speaker he had forwarded the copy of the ruling to the Clerk through Whatsapp and also served his office.

“If that was the sticking issue, then that has now been done. Let us not play games with a small matter,” said Mr Omogeni.

Marsabit Senator Mohamed Chute, who is in Kenya Kwanza, joined the Azimio side and called on the Speaker to rest the matter.

“If one has left her party and went to another party and they have not been coerced, then you should leave the position you were holding for those still in the party,” Mr Chute told Ms Dullo.

Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot argued that the speaker cannot be ordered to make a communication before considering whatever has been tabled.