Elachi's fate, Sonko deputy top of agenda as MCAs return from recess

What you need to know:

  • The Members of County Assembly (MCAs) have been on a month-long recess since late August.

  • Top on the agenda is how to deal with Ms Elachi who was impeached during a special sitting on September 6 but has obtained conservatory court orders reinstating her into her position.

  • There are also fears that the assembly might be dissolved if the wrangles persist and a commission formed instead.

  • Other business concerns the state of the county and the planned impeachment of Governor Mike Sonko over his reluctance to appoint a deputy governor and move his operations from Mua Hills to his office at City Hall.

Nairobi ward representatives return from recess on Tuesday to a plateful of activities and fears of a showdown over the fate of Speaker Beatrice Elachi.

The Members of County Assembly (MCAs) have been on a month-long recess since late August.

'CASE CLOSED'

Top on the agenda is how to deal with Ms Elachi who was impeached during a special sitting on September 6 but has obtained conservatory court orders reinstating her into her position.

Despite the Speaker's reprieve from the Labour court in Nairobi two weeks ago, all is not rosy as the county legislators maintain she must go.

Assembly minority whip Peter Imwatok has maintained that Ms Elachi’s case is closed and that there is no way back for her.

“Hers is a done case. If Elachi has to come back to the office, she must be voted back again into the office. The office is not a toilet you walk in and out of as you wish. This is an institution. The same procedure that brought you in is the same one that brings you in again,” said Mr Imwatok.

The Makongeni MCA explained that the Assembly will not suffer any vacuum as Deputy Speaker John Kamangu will hold fort in acting capacity until the matter is resolved.

“So far we do not have a substantive speaker but we have a deputy speaker who can preside over the running of the House so there is no vacuum,” he said.

'NON-ISSUE'

There have been reports of a possible ray of hope for the embattled former nominated senator, some legislators reportedly having softened their stance on her return to the assembly.

The ODM MCA, however, laughed off the claims saying the matter was decided by the entire assembly and that if it is to be resolved, the same route will be taken once again.

“It is the assembly which made a decision, not political parties. It is the same assembly that has to sit down to resolve everything if it has to. And this I have not seen,” Mr Imwatok said.

Nonetheless, Ms Elachi said that her fate is a non-issue as the matter is before court.

“I am in Eldoret ... I will not be around tomorrow. I am not fighting anything so it is a non-issue at the moment as it is in court until Friday, maybe. They will have to come and start with house business. They have to create the business. And there are those motions and businesses in the order paper that we left while we were closing the assembly,” she said.

SONKO

There are also fears that the assembly might be dissolved if the wrangles persist and a commission formed instead.

Other business concerns the state of the county and the planned impeachment of Governor Mike Sonko over his reluctance to appoint a deputy governor and move his operations from Mua Hills to his office at City Hall.

All eyes will be set on whether a censure motion against Governor Sonko will be tabled.

Earlier this month, MCAs asked Mr Sonko to ensure the management, operations and governance of the county are conducted, executed and implemented within the jurisdiction of the gazetted headquarters of Nairobi.

While warning that they will remove him from office, hey also told him to find a deputy governor.