MPs make frantic efforts to collect signatures in Waiguru censure bid

The debating chamber of the National Assembly was a beehive of activity as two MPs moved from one member to another collecting signatures to initiate a motion to censure Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru.

Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter and his Makueni counterpart Daniel Maanzo made frantic efforts to get enough signatures to set in motion the Waiguru censure bid, as the legislators waited for the arrival of Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete.

The two, walking side by side, took advantage of the huge attendance to shore up their support for the anti-Waiguru motion.

Total approval

They first went to Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja) who took the sheet of paper and scribbled something on it. Satisfied, they moved to George Oner (Rangwe) who also removed his pen and scribbled on the paper. They then moved to David Ochieng’ (Ugenya).

When contacted by The Standard, Mr Maanzo said they had the numbers “but we want to be over 100, so that we have a semblance of total approval”.

They criticised a court ruling ordering the House not to proceed with any impeachment motion against any Cabinet secretary until a petition by the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution is heard.

“We hear a judge has ruled that no impeachment motion shall come to the House. We want to say the ruling is irrelevant. We are proceeding with the motion and we are not cowed. If the judge thinks Standing Order 66 is illegal, then he should know that we lifted it from the Constitution. Does he, therefore, mean that the Constitution Article 152 is wrong?” asked Maanzo, who is the legal brain behind the motion.

Article 152 provides for the removal of a Cabinet secretary through a vote in the National Assembly.

The Makueni MP said National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi will have to follow the law because the courts had erred in issuing the order.