Nairobi MCAs are expected to take the oath of office on Thursday.
The swearing-in event will see 124 MCAs, 85 elected and 39 nominated take the oath of office, making up the city's third county assembly.
The United Democratic Alliance has 35 MCAs, ODM 35, Jubilee six, Wiper four, CCM one and three Independent MCAs.
Utawala ward is yet to do a by-election.
UDA and ODM each have 17 nominated MCAs.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee has three nominated MCAs and Wiper has two.
The first sitting is essential because after taking their oath, they will elect the speaker and his deputy.
County assembly clerk Edward Gichana will read the notification of convening the County Assembly as published in the Kenya Gazette.
Gichana will also lay a list of the names of the persons elected as members on the table 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 the members present,” reads the standing orders.
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 the swearing-in of members.
After the gazettement of the date of the first sitting by Governor Sakaja, the clerk declared the position of the speaker vacant and invited interested individuals to apply for the seat.
“A speaker shall be elected when the county assembly first meets after a general election and before the county assembly proceeds with the dispatch of any other business, except the administration of the oath or affirmation of office to members present,” reads the standing orders.
Those interested in serving as a speaker to pick nomination papers at his office between September 23 and 26.
However, the decision of who becomes the Speaker is normally determined by the political parties.
So far, Azimio la Umoja One coalition enjoys an advantage over Kenya Kwanza and whoever it picks is likely to become the fourth Speaker of the Senate, after Alex Magelo (2013/17) and Beatrice Elachi (2017/2020) and Benson Mutura ( 2020/2022)
Nine individuals who have expressed interest to chair the county legislation house have returned their nomination papers as of Tuesday morning
Gichana said the nine were yet to be shortlisted, to know who has qualified for the speaker’s elections.
“So far nine candidates have returned their nomination papers and will be shortlisted so that we know who will be in the race on Thursday,” he said.
They include Ken Ng’ondi (Ex-deputy speaker), current speaker Benson Mutura, Samuel Masaki, Brian Mutie, Hassan Mohammed, Arthur Ndung’u, Austin Omimo, Charles Moratha and Okello Ooko.
The clerk also revealed that three MCAs have returned nomination papers for the deputy speaker’s position.
They include Mihang’o MCA Paul Kados, Samora Mwaura (Clay City) and Hashim Kamau (California).
Lobbying for other key positions like the leader of the majority, deputy speaker, leader of the minority and the whips are also ongoing.
Filling the positions will also be a balancing act between rewarding loyalty, power distribution in the region, and accommodating losers in the just concluded election.
However, the leadership positions will be appointed by the respective political parties represented at the assembly.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
