• The Governor and the Speaker have had a rocky relationship since 2017 leading to Elachi’s impeachment in 2018, which saw her out for almost a year.
• Backed by some Senators, pro-Sonko MCAs believe his memorandum was never rejected as no voting took place during Friday’s special sitting, thus it is still ‘alive’.
Nairobi might be staring at a looming division among the MCAs as the vicious supremacy battle between Governor Mike Sonko and Speaker Beatrice Elachi escalates over the Supplementary Appropriation, 2020.
The Governor and the Speaker have had a rocky relationship since 2017 leading to Elachi’s impeachment in 2018, which saw her out for almost a year.
Sonko took an about-turn after the falling out with Majority Leader Abdi Hassan Guyo and supported the return of Elachi on October 9, 2019.
This resulted in the county assembly dividing into two groups, with those supporting Elachi one side and those against her return on the other side led by Guyo.
However, the then Jubilee leadership led by Guyo suffered the consequences of going against both Elachi and Sonko and lost their position in the assembly.
Despite Sonko being arrested and charged last year in December on Sh357 million charges, Elachi and MCAs allied to her pledged support for him.
However, from January this year, things fell apart for the two as the impeachment motion of Governor Sonko was at the peak of being introduced on the floor of the house.
The impeachment motion that was moved by Minority Chief Whip Peter Imwatok resulted into new camps in the house, with those pro-impeachment on one side.
Elachi has constantly said she has nothing against the Governor but rules and procedures must be followed.
“This year there is no joking around. It will be different and everything done will be according to the law,” she said in January.
MCAs split over Bill
While the Governor insists that he still has a say as the county boss over the Bill, the Speaker also believes that he holds no portfolio on matters to do with the transferred county functions and should not stand in the way of service delivery.
Sonko decline to assent the Bill that would see Nairobi Metropolitan Service allocated Sh15 billion accusing the Assembly of allocating money to functions not transferred.
As a result, he sent a memorandum with amendments for the house to approve but Elachi failed to acknowledge Sonko’s amendments, sending back the initial Bill for his approval.
The situation has intensified as the MCAs also appear to be divided over the Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2020 that was passed by the house on April 2, 2020.
Blame games have now emerged as MCAs allied to Sonko say that the Speaker and their counterparts ‘hijacked’ the Bill to seek revenge on the Governor.
The camp supporting Sonko claims that despite signing the Deed transferring the functions to NMS, he still has a voice as the county boss.
Backed by some Senators, pro-Sonko MCAs believe his memorandum was never rejected as no voting took place during Friday’s special sitting, thus it is still ‘alive’.
The other side claims that Sonko has until Friday 4:00 pm to assent to the original Bill and even if he fails, the document becomes effective and only the courts can overturn it.
Defending Elachi’s move, Minority Whip Peter Imwatok highlighted Standing Order 146 (4) that states when a Governor’s Memorandum on any Bill raises a question of constitutionality, the Speaker is free to give a determination.
It is a now wait and see situation come Friday.
Jubilee leadership wrangles
At the heat of events is now the changes made by the Jubilee Party in the Assembly that saw the interim leadership being kicked out and returned familiar faces.
Reliable sources also claim that both leadership camps have been lobbying and fighting for the positions for some time.
The changes saw Guyo reinstated as Majority leader replacing Dandora III MCA Charles Thuo while Mihang’o MCA Paul Kados ousted June Ndegwa as the Majority Whip.
Dandora I MCA Peter Wanyoike will deputize Guyo while South B MCA Waithera Chege will be Kados’ deputy.
The changes has divided the Jubilee MCAs with the interim leadership allied to Elachi being kicked out, bring back MCAs allied to Sonko back to power.
Jubilee Party Secretary General Raphael Tuju had said that the decision to change the leadership was arrived at on Thursday last week and are expected to work in unity with Speaker Elachi.
It is said that Tuju, vice chairman David Murathe and State House Deputy Chief of Staff Njee Muturi were at that meeting and arrived at that decision after receiving a final word from President Uhuru Kenyatta.
However, the former leadership has openly said they were kicked out because of their decision to support NMS.
Led by Ndegwa, they accused Tuju of fuelling division arguing that he cannot reward position to satisfy both camps at the jubilee party.
“As the leadership we were never consulted and the SG did not tell us that a decision had been arrived at. Is that really bringing peace or fuelling further division, “she said.
“How can an SG say that he gave positions to both camps. He should be making decisions to end the spirit of camps an unite Jubilee as a whole,” Ndegwa added.
However, Elachi said the Office of the Speaker has not received any communication notifying on the change of leadership.