•MCAs to resume sittings on October 29, 2019
•Elachi was impeached by assembly in September
Beatrice Elachi has for the first time spoken about how she intends to work upon her return as speaker of the city assembly.
She has promised to work with all Nairobi MCAs irrespective of their political affiliation when she resumes her duties at the end of the month.
She made her comment after Jubilee Party secretary general Raphael Tuju announced that the party had reaffirmed Elachi as the legitimate speaker.
On Wednesday, Tuju held a three-hour meeting with Jubilee MCAs and said they agreed to respect the rule of law and court orders.
Elachi told the Star she would respect and abide by any decisions made by the party.
“Nairobi is the capital city and it deserves good and stable leadership. I’m looking forward to that time when both the governor, the assembly and the executive can work together to deliver services to the people of Nairobi,” she said.
The former senator applauded Tuju for initiating peace talks and said she was looking forward to a stable assembly.
“I know there will be a meeting at the Jubilee headquarters between the SG, MCAs and I and my prayer is we can find more ways of working harmoniously in the assembly,” Elachi said.
She however dismissed claims that she was returned to the assembly under the influence of Nasa MCAs and that she was viewed as an ODM speaker.
“I’m not a speaker of ODM but a speaker of the assembly .When you look back, remember the MCAs from both sides of the house played a role in my impeachment so people cannot claim that I’m their speaker,” Elachi said.
Last year, in September 102 MCAs voted to impeach her. Elachi also said that it was normal to have allies from the Nasa in the spirit of handshake but that does not mean she would look down upon the majority side.
Tuju had stated that the party would be inviting Elachi to sit with all Jubilee MCAs to discuss to her dramatic impeachment last year.
“We discussed the issue of Elachi and we agreed that even those of us with alternative views with respect to her position will allow the rule of law to prevail,” he said.
Majority leader Abdi Hassan can also breathe a sigh of relief after it was decide that he retains his position.
Tuju said Guyo would remain the majority leader until the time the party announces changes in the assembly leadership.
“We will follow the constitution of the party and the rule of law, so the status quo remains. We have been having a lot of consultations with members since Monday and we are gathering their opinions and doing a lot of listening so that we can move forward,” he said.
Calm is now expected to return to the assembly come October 29 when plenary sittings resume.
Elachi made the announcement through a gazette notice on October 11.
Elachi’s unexpected comeback last week was escorted by teargas, verbal chants, goons invading the assembly.
This week , a small number of MCAs were seen seated in groups of between three to four.
In the basement where the MCAs normally meet for committee sessions, there was no activity as the rooms remain closed.
Unlike last week, no police officers have been seen roaming outside the assembly.
On the first floor, only the speaker’s office remained open while the offices of the whips, majority and minority leaders were all closed.Clerks offices and the ever busy Tables and Journals offices were also locked.
At the reception desk, broken furniture including pieces of tables and chairs were placed on the left side.
Majority leader Guyo’s ofice was littered with unarranged furniture and broken pieces of wood from last week’s chaos.
Entrance to the chambers was closed with the gazette notice issued by speaker Elachi placed on the door.
But assembly Clerk Jacob Ngwele said the adjournment and gazette notice on the resumption of sittings are not legal.
Ngwele said that the assembly calendar cannot be adjusted after being determined before any plenary sessions by the House Business Committee.
All this, he said, is subsequently gazetted in the county gazette, published in in two local dailies and the assembly’s website by the clerk and not the speaker.
“Parliamentary gazette notices must be anchored on specific provisions of the law and this particular one was not anchored on any . To make matters worse, it is based on the October 8 sitting which had no Hansard, minutes or clerks,” he said.