KAIKAI'S KICKER: Wetangula’s burning bush moment

I don't know, but let us put to rest some basic facts here; first, Wetangula, is in his own right a consummate lawyer with a solid background in Kenya’s legal landscape. It is back in my schoolboy days in Kilgoris, in the early 90s, that i first heard of Moses Wetangula. At the time, the commission of inquiry into the murder of then Foreign Affairs Minister Robert Ouko was in progress in Kisumu townhall, and I followed with dedication the coverage in the newspapers by among others the then Daily Nation writer and later my senior Caleb Atemi. From reading the proceedings, Wetangula was a courtroom sensation. He was representing the Ominde clan; the clan of the late Ouko. The newspapers captured this memorable encounter between Wetangula and a witness, the late Ouko’s Secretary identified as Mrs Anguka. Wetangula asked Mrs. Anguka whether she played any role in Ouko’s death. Mrs Anguka swore that she knew nothing about Ouko’s killing and that God was her witness. Wetangula retorted, if God is your witness, then you have no witness here! That’s some really fine wit for any lawyer.

Second fact; Wetangula boasts of vast experience in politics dating back to his days as a Nominated MP for the then all powerful KANU party. He knows elective politics and he’s been to Cabinet; what I am saying is there is little in his past that begrudges Moses Wetangula of the potentially powerful office of the Speaker of National Assembly. On intellect and experience, Wetangula has no excuses to make.

But events of the last two days have put Wetangula’s entire tenure as Speaker under scrutiny. A review has just been occasioned by the High Court judgement that declared Wetangula’s declaration of his Kenya Kwanza side as the Majority in the House as null and void. Some of the reviews are now branding Wetangula as overly biased; and too eager to take sides in a role that has traditionally required some independence. I will stay out of that debate for now and instead point out an unnecessary blunder the Speaker committed in the House this week. The Speaker incorrectly told MPs that two of his predecessors presided over debate on motions presented against them – they are called motions of No confidence. Now, Parliamentary records run by a Bible called the Hansard. A careful perusal of the Hansard should have told Speaker Wetangula that when a motion of No confidence was presented against Speaker Francis Xavier Kausai ole Kaparo, the Speaker Kaparo vacated the seat, left Parliament buildings and left the proceedings of the House in the hands of his deputy, the late Adhi Bonaya Godana. In the motion against Speaker Justin Bedan Muturi, proceedings were not presided over by Muturi but by his deputy, the late Joyce Laboso. 

In courtroom terms, witness Wetangula committed perjury before Justice Wetangula. In political terms, that was a distinctive sunroof moment in the Jouse.

That is my Kicker.