Nyeri supremacy wars spill over to County Assemblies Forum

County Assemblies Forum (CAF) Secretary-General Eric Mwangi Wamumbi may be ejected from office as his colleagues in the Nyeri assembly have recalled him in a row over unfair nomination.

Mr Wamumbi, who is a member of the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council that is chaired by Deputy President William Ruto, is under siege as his colleagues claim his appointment to the forum was not procedural.

INTERNAL WARS

The infighting at the assembly has spilled over to the national forum following the Konyu ward representative's election as secretary-general last year.

Members of county assembly (MCAs) have been fighting each other as the house leadership wages war on those considered defiant.

Several MCAs, especially women, have lost key seats in committees for failing to sing to the house leadership’s tune.

In a letter written to the CAF, Nyeri MCAs say they want the group that unites speakers and MCAs from the 47 counties to strip Mr Wamumbi of his role and allow the assembly to pick his replacement.

“We, the undersigned members of the Nyeri County Assembly wish to recall Hon. Wamumbi as our representative,” the letter stated.

They gave two reasons - that Seaker John Kaguchia was in breach of the law when he nominated him to the forum without consulting the house.

“Hon. [Wamumbi] was not elected by the members to represent them but was appointed by the speaker. Through our interaction with the CAF, we have realised that it is the membership that is supposed to vote for representative."

LETTER INSUFFICIENT

The forum’s chair, Johnson Osoi, who is also the Kajiado assembly speaker, said an ad hoc committee will be formed to investigate the allegations against Mr Wamumbi.

“The letter was officially released but the forum does not operate like parliament. There is a procedure that must be followed before you eject him from office,” he said.

Mr Osoi said that unlike the assembly, where members are ejected from committees through communication to the speaker, a notification to the national governing council is not enough for the CAF.

However, Mr Kaguchia maintained that the forum’s constitution gives the speaker powers to nominate an MCA to the CAF.

The MCAs have accused Mr Wamumbi of using his position to plant seeds of division and discord in the assembly and disrespecting his colleagues.

They have threatened to pull out of the forum if he remains in office.