•The secretary generals of various parties will through a letter communicate to the speaker notifying them of who they have settled for.
•The seats include the Majority and Minority leader, Majority and Minority whip and their deputies.
Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A
With the many power wrangles witnessed during the second county assembly over positions, political parties have now resolved to appoint their house leaders.
Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition will have the majority with 45 elected MCAs against Kenya Kwanza at 36.
The secretary generals of various parties will through a letter communicate to the speaker notifying them of who they have settled for.
The seats include the Majority and Minority leader, Majority and Minority whip and their deputies.
The Star has established that in Azimio, four MCAs have expressed interest in the Majority seat with two being senior members of the assembly and the others having been elected for the first time.
The MCAs who will have their first sitting on September 9, will be expected to elect their speaker.
In April, Raila Odinga announced that Nairobi’s speaker position would be given to the ODM party.
It has been revealed that ODM is fronting its legal director Antony Moturi for the speaker position and will be relying on Azimio numbers to push for his candidature.
Moturi is an advocate of the High Court and enjoys good rapport within Azimio affiliate parties.
Former Nairobi county assembly deputy speaker Ken Ngondi might also make a political comeback with some ODM ward reps backing him for the speaker position.
Ngondi is ODM's sole candidate in the race, after being unanimously endorsed by the party and several Azimio-allied MCAs-elect.
He previously served as deputy speaker under Alex Ole Magelo (deceased) between 2013-2017.
The former legislator has also served as Kware MCA in Embakasi South and also chaired the Health Committee in the county assembly.
Jubilee party has appointed Harrison Wangoro Mwangi as its candidate for the speaker’s position.
Mwangi was vying for Embakasi North parliamentary seat on a Jubilee ticket but lost to a UDA candidate.
His appointment was confirmed by party secretary general Jeremiah Kioni.
However, Nairobi Senator-elect Edwin Sifuna said the position was reserved for ODM.
“At the appropriate time, we will convene the Azimio team in the assembly to caucus. Right now, we are focusing on the petition at the Supreme Court,” Sifuna told the Star on phone.
The Kenya Kwanza coalition is yet to speak on the matter.
The speaker presides over debates of the county assembly at every sitting, maintains the assembly attendance register and orders, relevant statute and assembly traditions, procedures and practices.
Besides being the spokesperson of the assembly, the speaker ensures the dignity of the assembly is upheld and disciplines MCAs for misconduct, among other roles.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris