A court ruling has declared Kenya Kwanza does not hold majority status in Parliament, overturning the Speaker’s earlier decision. The court criticized the Speaker for failing to justify member reassignments and emphasized the importance of impartiality in parliamentary leadership to maintain public confidence.
A recent court ruling determined that Kenya Kwanza does not hold the majority status in Parliament, contradicting a previous declaration by the Speaker, Moses Wetang’ula. The court found that Wetang’ula’s decision to reassign 14 members from other parties to Kenya Kwanza lacked justification, making the coalition’s claim to majority status invalid. The Speaker was also criticized for failing to provide necessary coalition agreements that would support such a reassignment.
According to the court’s unanimous judgment, the reassignment of members led to Kenya Kwanza being reported to have 179 members compared to Azimio la Umoja’s 157. However, records from the Registrar of Political Parties established that the Azimio coalition consists of 26 political parties, while Kenya Kwanza has only 15. The court stressed the importance of the Speaker’s impartiality in maintaining public trust in Parliament’s processes.
In October 2022, a significant political shift occurred when Speaker Wetang’ula reassigned members, leading to Kenya Kwanza claiming majority status in the National Assembly. This reallocation was contested in court, leading to scrutiny of both the Speaker’s authority and the legitimacy of the coalition’s majority status. The ruling thereby reinforces the judiciary’s critical role in monitoring political conduct and upholding constitutional law in parliamentary systems.
The court ruling has profound implications for the organizational structure of Parliament, challenging the constitutionality of the Speaker’s reassignment decisions. It raises critical questions about the legitimacy of actions taken under the premise of Kenya Kwanza’s majority status. Furthermore, the ruling calls attention to the need for constitutional adherence and impartiality among parliamentary leaders to preserve public trust in governance.
Original Source: www.citizen.digital
