UDA, ODM tie as Nairobi gets 39 nominated ward reps

The Nairobi county assembly is now fully constituted after the electoral agency gazetted a list of 39 nominated members.

The list includes 37 women and two men, representing the youth and the marginalised groups.

This means that the third county assembly will now have 124 MCAs, with 85 elected and 39 nominated.

Both President William Ruto-led UDA party and Raila Odinga's ODM each has 17 nominated MCAs.

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party has three nominated MCAs and Wiper has two.

All  MCAs-elect underwent a two-day orientation to prepare them ahead of the first sitting of the House.

Out of the 85 seats, UDA has 36, ODM 34, Jubilee six, Wiper four, Chama Cha Kazi one and three are independent. Elections are yet to be held at Embakasi ward.

By law, the governor is mandated to gazette the sitting.

"The governor by notice in the Kenya gazette and the county gazette, shall appoint the place and date of the first sitting of the new county assembly,” the Nairobi City County Assembly Standing Order 4 (1) says.

The Standing Orders also state that there will only be two items in the order paper on the first sitting, the election of the speaker and swearing-in of members.

In this sitting, the clerk Edward Gichana is expected to read the notification of convening the assembly as published in the Kenya gazette.

Gichana will also list the names of persons elected as members of the assembly.

“The clerk shall administer the oath of office provided for in the First Schedule of the County Governments Act, 2012, to all members present,” the Standing Orders read.

After gazettement of the date of the first sitting by the governor, the clerk will declare the position of the speaker vacant and invite interested individuals to apply for the seat.

In April, Raila announced that the Nairobi’s speaker position would be given to the ODM party if he won the election.

Azimio principals are said to have endorsed former Nairobi assembly deputy speaker Ken Ng'ondi for the speaker’s post.

Azimio principals are Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Kanu’s Gideon Moi, Raila and Narc Kenya's Martha Karua.

However, the Jubilee party, which is part of Azimio, has appointed Harrison Wangoro Mwangi as its candidate for the speaker’s position.

Mwangi was vying for Embakasi North MP on the Jubilee ticket but lost to a UDA candidate.

His appointment was confirmed by party secretary general Jeremiah Kioni.

The role of the speaker is to preside over debates and maintain assembly attendance register and orders, relevant statute and assembly traditions, procedures and practices.

Besides being the spokesperson of the assembly, the speaker also ensures the dignity of the assembly is upheld and disciplines MCAs for misconduct.

Edited by A.N