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The fight for key leadership positions in the Nairobi County Assembly has taken a new twist after the Speaker, despite a court order, ruled on the House leadership during the first sitting.
Speaker Ken Ng'ondi declared that the Azimio coalition was the majority in the house and affirmed the list of the members who was presented by the party.
At the same time, Ng'ondi declared the Kenya Kwanza coalition as a minority party with 53 elected members while the Azimio had 67.
The Speaker's ruling came hours after a Nairobi court barred him from recognising Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance Party as the majority side in the Nairobi County Assembly.
Milimani Court magistrate Cosmas Maundu barred the majority leader, majority whip, and deputy majority whip, and members of the county assembly board from assuming office until the case lodged by a voter is heard and determined.
"A conservatory order is hereby issued suspending the implementation of the 2nd respondent impugned decision dated October 11, 2022, that declared Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Party majority party," ruled Maundu in the case filed on Tuesday.
"Consequently, bar the listed officials from assuming the office of the leader of a majority, deputy leader of majority, the majority whip, the deputy majority whip, and the member of the county assembly service board pending the hearing and determination of this application," Maundu said.
In the ruling on which coalition was the majority, the Ng'ondi said he was applying the rule of the law and standing orders of the house.
Anthony Karaja from UDA, declared the minority leader, blamed the Speaker for "acting against the law".
"I have been declared minority leader whereas I'm the majority leader; the Speaker has not given the people enough time to ventilate on the issues as it happened in the National Assembly," a Waithaka MCA member.
"Procedurally, the Speaker was supposed to take time and interrogate the issue. We as Kenya Kwanza are here despite the ruling; Kenya Kwanza is the majority coalition with 55 members and ODM at 52," Kiragu said.
Kiragu said the Speaker's decision was not final, and that Kenya Kwanza still had a chance in court, including the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
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