Three Embu MPs are split on whether President Uhuru Kenyatta should take Chief Justice David Maraga’s advisory and dissolve Parliament.
Maraga on Monday advised Uhuru to dissolve Parliament for failure to enact law on the two-thirds gender principle. Speaker Justin Muturi has said they’ll challenge the matter in court.
In Embu, Mbeere North MP Muriuki Njagagua and his Mbeere South counterpart Geoffrey King’ang’i said the decision may plunge the country into a political crisis.
But Nominated MP Cecily Mbarire differed with them, saying Parliament had called the decision upon itself for taking for granted some of the mandatory regulations, especially those on gender.
Njagagua said that Maraga is trying to revenge against the President for declining to approve several judges recommended by the Judicial Service Commission for promotion.
The Mbeere North MP, who is a lawyer, said although the rule is constitutional, it’s not only Parliament that must ensure it is passed. Other arms of government have a role, too, he said.
He said the implementation of Maraga’s advisory is confounding as the budget had not provided for cash to conduct polls before the current term of Parliament ends.
“The voters are the ones who elected Parliament with majority men and thus they should be respected and not be forced otherwise. CJ Maraga’s advice should be ignored,” Njagagua said.
King'ang'i wondered why Maraga did not make the same move during the last Parliament.
He said Maraga cannot claim to be an angel because even in the Judiciary, the rule has not been implemented.
He, however, said even if elections were to be held today he would clinch back his seat.
But Mbarire said on phone the male dominated Parliament has deliberately refused to enact the gender rule.
She suggested that a way out that could avoid Parliament’s dissolution be sought.
