MP Wandayi in court to stop ban from Parliament

Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi has moved to court to challenge his suspension from attending parliamentary sessions for the rest of the current session, which ends in February, by the National Assembly Speaker.

Through lawyer Anyango Opiyo, he has sued the National Assembly, its Speaker Justin Muturi and the Attorney-General Githu Muigai over the 11-month ban.

(READ: MP faces 11-month ban, loss of perks after ejection from House)

He accuses the Speaker of arbitrarily invoking the provisions of Standing Order no. 111, mentioning him to have acted in contempt before sending him on suspension.

He claims the Speaker unfairly refused to rescind that decision and has therefore condemned him from rightfully representing his constituents.

He alleges that he has been barred from even accessing the precincts of Parliament as well as his official office without a fair hearing.

He, therefore, wants the High Court to quash that decision and that the Speaker be completely barred from interfering with him when he is discharging his duties.

PARALLEL SUIT

At the same time, the opposition Cord and more than 1,000 residents of Ugunja have also filed a suit over Mr Wandayi's suspension.

They claim the decision to suspend the MP denies Ugunja constituents representation and that Cord's numbers in the Parliament has consequently reduced.

They want the court to declare Standing Order no. 111 of the National Assembly as well Mr Wandayi's suspension as unlawful.

Mr Wandayi was suspended on March 31 during a joint sitting of Parliament when President Uhuru Kenyatta gave the State of the Nation address.