Senate Drama: Azimio Senators Walk Out, Slam Kingi for Bias
Azimio senators on Monday stormed out of a retreat for the House accusing the Speaker Amason Kingi of allegedly stifling debate, disrespecting their leadership, and pushing through unconstitutional bills.
The development comes even as the minority lawmakers demanded that the Affordable Housing Bill, 2023 currently be sent to all 47 counties for public participation before the House votes on it.
The controversial Bill is currently before the Senate following its approval by the National Assembly two weeks ago.
“We demand for public participation on the affordable housing bill that is currently before the senate. We don’t want the bill to be fast track as there have been many bills clawing back on devolution,” Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna said.
Senators, led by Kingi, Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot, and Majority Whip Boni Khalwale are currently meeting at Argyle Grand Hotel on Mombasa Road.
The lawmakers are reviewing their performance in the last session and preparing for the new (third) session that started last month.
Minority Leader Stewart Madzayo accused the Kenya Kwanza wing of hijacking bills sponsored by their (opposition) members.
“We, the membership of the minority side, have left the said retreat in protest at the hypocrisy of the leadership of the Senate and especially the open disregard of the rules of the house and contempt directed at the minority side and its leadership,” Madzayo said.
Addressing a press conference at Parliament Buildings, the lawmakers accused Kingi of ‘repeatedly and without legal justification, refusing to approve questions and motions sponsored by members of the Minority’.
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For instance, Madzayo said that in the last session, censor motions against CS Moses Kuria for his attacks on the media, Police IG Japhet Koome for his conduct during the opposition protests, and many others were rejected to “protect the image of the regime”.
“We have also seen well-choreographed attempts to stifle debate on the floor through unequal application of the standing orders,” Madzayo said.
He added;
“Some Members of the speaker’s panel appear to be under instruction to allow numerous and repeated frivolous points of order whenever a member of the minority is on the floor.”
The Minority is now demanding the immediate recusal of members of the panel notorious for stifling debate and not applying house rules equally and an immediate response to all communication addressed to the speaker from the leadership of the minority.
“Given the foregoing the minority demands strict application of the standing orders during debates without bias as well as the speaker ruling on each point of order,” Madzayo said.
Minority Whip Ledama Olekina assailed Kingi for stifling and gagging Minority senators from freely debating on the floor.
“We want to express our dissatisfaction with how the Senate is being managed. When we raise the unconstitutionality of some of the bills, they are not responded to,” Olekina said.
The Narok Senator added;
“We are not asking for favors but an opportunity for us to represent our people. If we try to debate, it is stifled.
Sifuna accused Kingi of ignoring the leadership of the opposition in running the affairs of the senate.
“It is professional misconduct for you not to respond to correspondences sent to you. Our minority whip sent a letter in May 2023 but you are yet to respond to it,” he said.
Senate Drama: Azimio Senators Walk Out, Slam Kingi for Bias