City Assembly Moves To Kick-start House Business

“I will soon announce names of competent, capable and committed people to be recommended to the Assembly as nominees for the county cabinet positions” – Governor Sakaja.

By Adieri Mulaa

Azimio coalition and Kenya Kwanza alliance leaders at Nairobi county assembly are expected to submit names of their Members appointed to three vital House committees today to kick-start business.

Lists of Members picked to serve on the Assembly Business Committee commonly known as the House Business Committee, the Committee on Selection and the Committee on Appointments will be forwarded to the Office of the Speaker.

On Wednesday last week, the House Speaker Ken Ng’ondi ruled that Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition was the majority coalition in Nairobi County Assembly while Kenya Kwanza Alliance was the minority.

Makongeni Ward MCA Jateso Peter Imwatok is the Leader of Majority in the Assembly while Waithaka Ward MCA Anthony Kiragu is the Leader of Minority.

Nairobi Governor after opening First Sitting of the Third County Assembly on Wednesday October 19, 2022. He is flanked by the House Speaker Ken Ng’ondi (left) and the Clerk of Nairobi City County Assembly, Mr Edward Gichana.

The Speaker directed the House leadership to submit names of Members designated to the three Committees to his office by 11.30 am today, Monday October 24, 2022.

Ng’ondi cautioned Members not to perpetuate House leadership wrangles. He noted that the Assembly business could not proceed without the leadership in place, which would ultimately ruin the county development agenda.

“I caution the Assembly that without the House leadership, we cannot proceed with any business in this Assembly”, said the Speaker.

He added: “Our development agenda will not proceed and our constituents will judge us harshly. Therefore, we cannot afford as a House to prolong this matter”.

While opening the First Sitting of the Third County Assembly on Wednesday October 19, 2022 Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja promised to name his nominees to various County Executive Committee positions shortly.

***Leader of Majority in Nairobi county assembly Jateso Peter Imwatok addressing the media on Wednesday October 19, 2022 shortly Governor Sakaja opened the First Sitting of the Third Assembly.***

“I will soon announce names of competent, capable and committed people to be recommended to the Assembly as nominees for the county cabinet positions”, Governor Sakaja told the attentive House.

The House Committee on Appointments chaired by the Speaker is the one charged with the mandate of vetting nominees to the county cabinet positions – the County Executive Committee Members.

Members of the committee include the Leader of Majority, Leader of Minority the majority Chief Whip, his Minority counterpart and a few other Members picked by their respective political parties with gender consideration.

The Speaker has directed the Clerk of the county assembly, Mr Edward Gichana to publish names of the House Business Committee Members in the Order Paper tomorrow Tuesday 25 October, 2022 for approval by the plenary.

Names of Members appointed by their respective political parties to serve in the Committee on Selection and the Committee on Appointments will also be presented to the House Business Committee when it sits tomorrow Tuesday 25, October 2022 for ratification.

***Governor Johnson Sakaja addressing the First Sitting of the Third County Assembly on Wednesday October 19, 2022***

In his ruling on Wednesday, Speaker Ng’ondi said the three Members of County Assembly elected on Independent tickets would be accommodated in the House committees.

“With respect to the three Independent Members, as your Speaker, I will endeavour to ensure that they are assigned to Committees in accordance with the Standing Orders”, he said.

Members keenly listened to the elaborate and captivating speech of the Governor, which was thereafter laid on the table of the Assembly by Mihang’o Ward MCA, Kados Paul Kiguathi as provided by the House Standing Order No. 25 (4).

The Standing Order states: “Whenever the Governor delivers an address, a Member may as soon as practicable, thereafter, lay the Address on the Table of the County Assembly following the reading of such Address”.

Subsequently, Mr Kiguathi who is the Deputy Speaker issued a Notice of Motion under Standing Order 25 (5), which provides for the thanks of the Assembly to be recorded for the exposition of public policy contained in the Governor’s Address.

However, the Standing Order states that debate on the Motion regarding the shall not exceed four sitting days.

Meanwhile, the Speaker has directed the Clerk to take necessary measures to facilitate the House leadership to move to their respective offices at the assembly.

Further, the leaders will also access all other entitlements relating to their offices as approved by the Salaries and Renumeration Commission (SRC) and the County Assembly Service Board (CASB).

Lakini Saba Ward MCA John Ndile Musila is the Deputy Majority Party Leader, Moses Ogeto (Kilimani Ward) Majority Party Chief Whip while Stazo Omung’ala (Upper Savannah Ward) is the Deputy Majority Whip.

Nairobi South MCA Waithera Chege is the Deputy Leader of Minority while Umoja One Ward MCA Mark Ronaldo Mugambi is the Minority Whip. Nominated MCA Joyce Muthoni Kamau is the Deputy Minority Whip.

Nominated MCA Catherine Apiyo Okoth will represent the majority coalition as a Member of the County Assembly Service Board. Mlango Kubwa MCA Susan Makungu will represent the minority coalition on the Board.