Beleaguered speaker Beatrice Elachi has been told to talk with MCAs if she wants to retain her job. Embakasi East MP Babu Owino said the wrangles between Elachi and the assembly are political and cannot be solved by the courts.
The speaker was impeached by MCAs earlier this month over accusations of corruption. She obtained court orders suspendingt her removal.
“She is in a political quagmire and that means she can come out of her problems if she cools down and embraces dialogue,” Babu told reporters on Thursday.
“When you are the speaker of a legislative house, you need goodwill from the members and not the courts.”
On Tuesday, the assembly elected Ngara MCA Chege Mwaura as act as the speaker, complicating Elachi’s situation. Some MCAs have accused her of sabotaging Governor Mike Sonko’s development agenda.
Elachi’s problems with the MCAs began when she invited the Director of Criminal Investigations to probe tender dealings at the assembly. Clerk Jacob Ngwele also accused Elachi of conspiracy to defraud the assembly in the purchase of the speaker’s residence.
Normal proceedings have resumed at the assembly even as the Labour and Employment Relations Court is expected to rule on MCAs’ defiance of the order that temporarily reinstated the speaker.
Majority leader Abdi Guyo said Elachi’s future had been sealed by the impeachment and that members have already moved on.
Out of the assembly’s membership of 122, 103 voted to impeach the speaker on September 6.
