President Uhuru Kenyatta steps in to end animosity between Senators and MPs

Kenya: President Uhuru Kenyatta last night stepped in to quell the raging war between the National Assembly and the Senate.

This came just hours after the Senate approved a resolution to go to the Supreme Court over 67 laws senators term illegal.

The Standard can authoritatively report that the President has scheduled a meeting with Senate Speaker Ekwe Ethuro, Majority Leader Kithure Kindiki (Tharaka Nithi) and a few senators to deliberate ove the matter at State House, Nairobi, this morning.

Sources close to the Presidency and familiar with the interaction between the Senate and State House told The Standard President Kenyatta was not happy with National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi and Attorney General Githu Muigai following the pending embarrassment in the Supreme Court.

Rogue officer

Senate has already declared Mr Muturi a rogue officer for allegedly flouting the Constitution.

The President is reported to have called Muturi, who is in Israel on official duty, and expressed his displeasure with the latest development. Prof Muigai was not spared either, another source in Parliament said.

Senators had accused the President of violating the same Constitution he swore to uphold, defend and protect by assenting to bills without Mr Ethuro’s concurrence.

“The President is held up. We expect the meeting to begin this evening (yesterday) or tomorrow (today) morning. The meeting is expected to iron out the concerns raised by the senators,” said a legislator who preferred to remain anonymous.

Muturi is expected back today. His hardline position saw the Senate move to the Supreme Court last year to seek an advisory opinion over the Division of Revenue Bill 2013.

But even as the President weighed in on the matter, senators Amos Wako (Busia), Elizabeth Ongoro (nominated) and Godliver Omondi (nominated) faulted him for assenting to bills without considering the role of the Senate.

“The President should have declined to append his signature until he sees a clearance certificate from the AG and the two speakers confirming concurrence,” said Wako.