Azimio MPs storm out of Parliament after Wetangula declines to de-whip Sabina Chege

Members of Parliament allied to the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party on Thursday walked out of the plenary proceedings for the umpteenth time after Speaker Moses Wetangula declined to okay the removal of Nominated legislator Sabina Chege as Deputy Minority Whip.

The Speaker, in making his ruling, claimed Azimio coalition did not follow the standing orders fully in writing to him to remove the Deputy Minority Whip.

According to Wetangula, in the letter written by Azimio, they only spoke of removal and not replacement, thereby only partially meeting the requirements of the standing order 20A of the National Assembly.

Wetangula asked the minority side as well as the Jubilee Party to organize themselves, hence giving the Azimio coalition party 30 days to put their house in order.

“I am inclined that we allow the minority side 30 days so that they put their house in order, by the time the House resumes it is my expectation my office will be in receipt of communication from the minority party replacing the Deputy Minority Whip if they so wish, in a manner contemplated by the standing orders,” ruled Wetangula.

The ruling did not go down well with the minority leadership who wanted the Speaker to okay the removal of Sabina as they work on her replacement.

“The word you have used is removal, but replacement starts with removal, why don’t you allow us the removal as we work on the replacement?” Pleaded Deputy Minority Leader Robert Mbui.

“With all due respect we have a difficulty agreeing with that ruling, once we initiate the process of removal, it would have been good that you confirm the removal of Sabina Chege as you allow us to replace,” said Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi.

However, Speaker Wetangula rejected the pleadings, causing mass walk out by MPs aligned towards Azimio.

He also cautioned MPs about decorum in the House, noting that many have been disobeying standing orders thereby setting a bad example not only those that visit Parliament but also to Kenyans at large.