Deputy Speakers across all the county assemblies will have their jobs hanging in the balance after a court declared them illegally in office.
Murang’a and Meru County assembly deputy speakers’ roles have all been declared unconstitutional in separate rulings.
On Wednesday, High Court Judge Kanyi Kimondo ruled that the creation, establishment and maintenance of the position is illegal.
[caption caption="The Murang'a county assembly entrance (PHOTO/Facebook)"]
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A citizen had moved to court seeking the scrapping of the deputy speaker’s post and forthwith urged the court to stop the office holder from acting on behalf of the speaker.
The ruling is a major blow to Murang’a deputy speaker Mwangi Kihunjiro who has been a fierce critic of Governor Mwangi wa Iria and the entire executive.
Kihunjiro and 10 other MCAs who have been opposing Governor Iria's executive agenda were all kicked out of house committee leadership roles.
In Nyeri, Deputy Speaker Samuel Kariuki’s is facing a similar ejection from office on the basis of the constitutionality of the position.
Amos Muchiri, a Nyeri resident who has taken the matter to court says the election of Kariuki as the deputy speaker was done outside legal provisions and wants the role scrapped.
In all the counties, the positions were established by standing orders but the role is not provided for in the constitution and County Government Act.
After elections, Members of the county assembly cast votes for nominees to the deputy speaker’s position. The nominees are usually drawn from among the ward representatives.
[caption caption="Murang'a County MCA addressing the media (PHOTO/Courtesy)"]
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