Members of County Assembly (MCAS) from Nairobi County have said that they want to change standing orders and prevent parties from minority choosing minority and majority leaders.
The Reps have also plotted to remove the power to designate leaders from the Political Parties and bestow it unto themselves.
If the amendments go through, Political Parties will not be able to discipline errand members and those who go against party positions.
On Tuesday, a leaked letter authored by Nyayo Highrise MCA Kennedy Oyugi and addressed to the Speaker of the County Assembly proposes to delete standing orders numbers 20 and 21.
Oyugi is being seconded by MCA David Okelo and Antony Kiragu.
The County Assembly standing order number 20 states that “the largest party or coalition of parties in the County Assembly shall designate member of the County Assembly belonging to the Party or coalition of parties to be the leader of the Majority Party,”
According to the standing order, the Political party is to designate the deputy majority leader, majority whip and deputy majority whip.
The same applies to the Minority leader, deputy minority leader, minority whip and deputy minority whip.
The standing orders also states that the leaders may be removed by their Parties or two thirds of the votes of members of the parties or coalitions.
However, the reps want the new standing orders to read.
20 (1) The largest party or coalition of parties in the County Assembly shall elect
- a member of the County Assembly belonging to the party or coalition of parties to be the leader of the Majority Party.
- A member of the County Assembly belonging to the Party or coalition of parties to be the Deputy leader of the Majority Party.
- A member of the County Assembly belonging to the party or coalition of parties to be the Majority Whip of the Party.
- A member of the County Assembly belonging to the party or coalition of parties to be the Deputy Majority Whip of the Majority Party.
They have proposed the same for the Minority side.
“A member elected under paragraph (1) may be removed by two thirds of votes of all members of the majority party or coalition of parties in the County Assembly,” reads the new standing orders.
The new standing orders say that the decision will be communicated to the Speaker who will be the final person.
The proposals have been sent to the Procedure and Rules committee.
The committee will meet on Thursday and if it approves the amendments, a special siting of the Assembly will be called to ratify the changes, or the reps will wait until 7th July when the Assembly resumes.
The Assembly is currently on recess.
“The Reps are shifting goal posts and do not want the Parties to check them. Even if you are errand, the Party will not act because you can use money to get elected as a Majority or Minority leader. Political parties will lose grip on their members,” said an MCA Privy to the changes.
Another City Rep who requested anonymity said the current Assembly leadership has forced the Speaker Benson Mutura to “dance to its tune”.