The legitimacy of National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has been disputed by one his challengers who claimed he was not duly elected on August 31.
Dr Noah Migudo Winja petitioned Parliament claiming that the Speaker failed to meet the nomination requirements and the House was not properly constituted during the election.
Dr Winja wrote to the Clerk of the National Assembly Mr Michael Sialai pursuing Muturi’s immediate resignation, claiming he was wrongly cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
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The letter, dated October 16, has also been copied to Muturi, IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati, National Assembly leader of Majority Aden Duale and ODM chairman John Mbadi.
“Documents I have with me indicate that Justin Muturi submitted his Curriculum Vitae to your office on August 30, 2017, and was not duly cleared by IEBC before 9AM on August 29, 2017. This being the case, Hon Muturi was not qualified for nomination for election for the Speaker of National Assembly on August 31,” the letter reads in part.
Dr Winja claimed that the advertisement for the position required interested Kenyans to submit a clearance certificate from IEBC, confirming that the candidate is also qualified for nomination to contest in the 2017 General Election as an MP, and a CV.
He alleged that Mr Muturi’s CV was stamped as received on August 30 and thus was submitted after the deadline had elapsed.
“Even though he was cleared by IEBC for nomination for the position of Speaker in 2013 and despite attaining the said position, he was required by law to obtain clearance again in 2017 to contest for the position in the 12th Parliament,” Dr Winja ascertained.
He also alleged that election of the Speaker was done in contravention of the number of MPs needed to commence to meet the quorum requirement, stating that only 221 legislators were present against the quorum of 233 members required for the election of a Speaker to take place.
Dr Winja also wants the Clerk to call for a repeat election within seven days and Mr Muturi be barred from taking part in the repeat exercise as he was not properly nominated.
Mr Muturi, was backed by a majority of Jubilee MPs and elected in the second round of voting after failing to meet the two-thirds majority vote in round one.
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