Wetangula confirms Mark Mwenje as Deputy Minority Whip ending tussle

Nominated MP Sabina Chege and Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje

Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje now replaces Nominated MP Sabina Chege as the Deputy Minority Whip in the National Assembly, Speaker Moses Wetangula has ruled.

Chege will henceforth become the Whip of Jubilee Party, after the Speaker recognised Jubilee as an independent party in Parliament.

The Speaker's move comes after opposition MPs threatened to paralyse business next week if he does not effect changes in the minority leadership.

National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi had accused Wetangula of taking them in circles over a decision to have Sabina Chege removed as the Deputy Minority Whip.

"Despite a court ruling last week dismissing the earlier case lodged against the changes, the Speaker has failed to implement the ruling," said Wandayi.

He added that on October 11, Mark Mwenje, the designated Deputy Minority Whip, brought the ruling to the attention of the Speaker, who said he needed to see it first before acting on it.

Chege was dewhipped as the minority leader on May 30, and Mwenje named to take over her position.

She was ejected by the Azimio Parliamentary Group, after shifting allegiance to Kenya Kwanza.

Police deployment to Haiti

Meanwhile, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has sought the approval of the National Assembly to deploy 1,000 police officers to Haiti as part of a UN-approved peacekeeping mission.

However, his move has been challenged by two separate petitions in court, which have obtained orders blocking the deployment until further notice.

Speaker Wetangula on Wednesday, October 25 directed the committee on Administration and Internal Affairs to consider the memorandum from Kindiki and report to the House on or before November 8.

This comes after Justice Chacha Mwita extended an order yesterday barring the government from sending police officers to Haiti, pending the determination of a petition filed by Thirdway Alliance Party Leader Ekuru Aukot.

Dr Aukot argued that Kenya's bid to lead the force to Haiti is "a gross violation of the Constitution", which requires parliamentary approval for such a decision.
He obtained temporary orders on October 18, stopping the deployment until the petition is determined.