Opposition coalition MPs dared to skip House sitting

Kieni Member of Parliament Kanini Kega has challenged his Nasa counterparts to skip the first sitting of the house which is slated for Thursday. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Last Friday, the Nasa MPs-elect threatened to boycott the first parliamentary sitting, arguing that Mr Kenyatta is not the legally elected

  • Kieni MP Kanini Kega said Nasa had been spreading baseless arguments to their supporters

  • Mr Kega noted that even in 2013 before the swearing in of President Kenyatta, it was retired President Mwai Kibaki who called the first sitting of elected MPs as required by the law

Jubilee MPs-elect have challenged their Nasa counterparts to make good their threat and skip the first parliamentary sitting called by President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday.

The MP’s-elect from Mt Kenya region termed the threat by Nasa unreasonable, unconstitutional and unguided.

Last Friday, the Nasa MPs-elect threatened to boycott the first parliamentary sitting, arguing that Mr Kenyatta is not the legally elected president and that he should wait until the case pending in the Supreme Court is determined.

But speaking after holding a meeting at Sarova Panafric Hotel in Nairobi over the weekend, Kieni MP Kanini Kega said Nasa had been spreading baseless arguments to their supporters, yet they (opposition MPs) know the truth. “No one can be called an MP until they are sworn in and our colleagues in the opposition are aware of that,” he said.

CONSTITUTION

The Mt Kenya lawmakers  had met to catch up and discuss various issues affecting them as they start serving their people.

Mr Kega accused Nasa’s MPs -elect of showing their ignorance of the Constitution, and asked them to respect the law. “Our Constitution is very clear on the powers of the President. President Kenyatta acted within the law to make a gazette notice convening the first parliamentary sitting for the swearing-in of MPs,” said Mr Kega.

Mr Kega, who was re-elected in the recent polls, noted that even in 2013 before the swearing in of President Kenyatta, it was retired President Mwai Kibaki who called the first sitting of elected MPs as required by the law.

“Even those in Nasa who are saying they will not show up during the swearing-in will be there, everyone knows that they cannot be called MPs if they have not been sworn in,” Mr Kega said.