Eyes on Wetangula over House Majority stalemate as MPs resume first session

As the national assembly resumes its first session today, Tuesday October 4, top on the speaker Moses Wetangula's priority list is resolving the leadership stalemate that has rocked the National Assembly where both Azimio and Kenya Kwanza claimed to have numerical strength and deserved to serve on the majority side.

This comes as both sides have taken hard-line positions as Kenya Kwanza alliance has capitalized on defections by a section of  Azimio-allied political parties to their side.

Speaking to Citizen TV on Monday, Wetangula vowed to arbitrate on the dispute on who wields the numbers and will use a reasoned approach to inform his decision.

"We will give it a reasoned approach and communicate to the parties involved I am sure it is not a difficult thing to decide we will look at the constitution, standing orders and the decide," he said.

Without the resolution, crucial house business committee mandated to prepare the calendar of the house and determine business to be transacted cannot be formed  since its membership comprises the leader of majority and minority and also the whips.

Legislators allied to both sides have expressed confidence in securing the majority member title, arguing that it has already been squared out and that they are now waiting for the Speaker's announcement so that they commence house business.

"The question of Azimio being the majority coalition party in the national assembly is already settled by the constitution statutes and standing orders and anybody who is dissatisfied with that decision can do the most logical thing and go to court," said Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi.

"Azimio one Kenya is not a coalition of political parties it is a coalition political party Kenya kwanza is a coalition of political parties with close to 190 MPs which is the majority," added Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichungwa on his part.

This also comes at a time when President William Ruto's cabinet nominees await approval hearings to be conducted by the national assembly committee on appointments. 

This crucial exercise however will only be conducted after the determination of who wields the power of numbers since its composition other than the speaker who serves as the chairperson also comprises the deputy speaker, leader of the majority party, leader of the minority party, deputy leader of the majority party and the deputy leader of the minority party and other members.

The committee on selection which nominates members to serve in the departmental committees is also pegged on the resolution of the tussle pitting the two sides.

The committee is chaired by the majority leader and also comprises the minority leader since the two will assign members respective committees to serve in.

Traditionally the public accounts committee and the public investments committee is reserved for the minority side.

Azimio and Kenya kwanza are also set to lock horns in the battle for membership to the lucrative parliamentary service commission with seven slots up for grabs to be shared between the two houses, national assembly allocated four while senate is allocated three slots.