National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula has reaffirmed that Kenya Kwanza holds the majority in Parliament, igniting a fresh debate over the allocation of majority and minority offices. According to Wetangula, Kenya Kwanza boasts 165 Members of Parliament, while the Azimio coalition comprises 154 MPs.
“Based on the numbers, Kenya Kwanza is the majority and Azimio is the minority. The leadership of the House remains unchanged,” the Speaker announced. He also noted that a recent court ruling did not specifically designate any party as the majority or minority, nor did it clarify the leaders of these factions.
This ruling follows a High Court decision on February 7, which criticized Wetangula for previously declaring Kenya Kwanza the majority. The Speaker highlighted that Azimio, established in April 2022, is a coalition of 21 parties, including notable names like Jubilee and ODM. In contrast, Kenya Kwanza, formed on June 3, 2022, consists of 11 parties, including the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and Amani National Congress.
Wetangula pointed out that Kenya Kwanza solidified its majority status after 14 MPs from the Azimio La Umoja Coalition defected, shifting the balance in favor of the ruling coalition. However, a three-judge bench later ruled that Wetangula acted unconstitutionally in making this declaration, stating that he had no valid basis for the reassignment of majority status, thus quashing his earlier decision.
As the political landscape continues to shift, the implications of this ruling remain to be seen, with ongoing tensions between the two coalitions.
Drama in parliament as Azimio MPs forcefully sit on the Majority side
