Duale faults Sonko over acting President remarks

Duale faults Sonko over acting President remarks

National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale has told off Nairobi Senator Mike Mbuvi Sonko over his Friday remarks, claiming to be the acting president of Kenya.

Speaking in Kikuyu at the homecoming ceremony of local MP Kimani Ichung’wa, Duale said that Sonko’s remarks are unconstitutional saying there was no way he would hold the position even in the absence of President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto.

In his speech at the funeral service of Wavinya Ndeti’s husband last Friday, Sonko demanded to address mourners claiming he was the acting president due to the absence of Uhuru and Ruto.

“As we speak you (the Kamba community) have the position of the acting president of Kenya. President Uhuru is in Togo, DP Ruto is in France, I am the third in command; I am now the acting president of the republic of Kenya,” Sonko had said.

It has however emerged that at the time of his speech, DP Ruto was actually in the country and even with his absence, the Constitution only bestows the “presidential” role to the Speaker of the National Assembly.

Sonko had claimed that he had been sent to represent the president at the funeral and read his speech on his behalf, and demanded to be accorded the respect that would President Uhuru.

“All these police officers that you see around are here because of me. I am the acting President of the Republic of Kenya.”

The service was thrown into disarray later into Senator Sonko’s address after he lashed out at the master of ceremony for demanding that he cuts short his speech.

Youth chanting Wiper party slogans make frantic efforts to shout down the Nairobi Senator who was then adamant that he must address the mourners.

The melee prompted CORD leaders Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetangula to leave the service prematurely.

The Nairobi Senator has however defended his pronouncement, blaming the media for altering the video clips to implicate him.

“I am appalled by news from a section of the press meant to tarnish my name following my obligated duty officially mandated by the office of the President to read his message conveyed to the family and friends of the late Henry Odwale, husband to hon. Wavinya Ndeti,” stated Sonko in a press released to media houses on Saturday.

State House spokesman Manoah Esipisu on Sunday refused to comment on the matter since it was already being handled by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Keriako Tobiko.

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