• High Court ruled that Mwinzi should not be forced to renounce US citizenship as she is a US citizen by birth.
• ODm leader Raila has termed rejection of Mwinzi by MPs as dubious.
Image: FILE
Parliament will on Tuesday deliberate on a report on envoy nominee Mwende Mwinzi.
The discussion is coming after court deflated MPs push to have the nominee renounce her US citizenship.
MPs, in opposing Mwende's nomination, raised the issue of her dual citizenship.
Opposition chief Raila Odinga has also criticised the lawmakers for overstepping their mandate.
Mwende was nominated Kenya's ambassador to Seoul, South Korea, by President Uhuru Kenyatta on May 2 before appearing before the Departmental Committee on Defence and Foreign Relations for vetting.
The committee recommended her for appointment on condition that she renounces her American citizenship.
The lawmakers will deliberate on the report of the Implementation committee which recommended amongst others, the reversal of the appointment after the nominee failed to renounce her US citizenship.
If the House approves the report of the committee chaired by Narok North MP Moitalel Ole Kenta, it will force President Kenyatta to pick another nominee.
On Thursday, Majority leader Aden Duale said on the floor of the House that Mwende’s nomination is among the items lined up by the House Business Committee for deliberations on Tuesday.
Raila said Parliament got it wrong in trying to block the nominee over dual-citizenship.
“Opposition to Mwende’s appointment amounts to killing the spirit and necessity of dual citizenship through which Kenyans sought equal rights abroad and at home to enable them to contribute to the development of our nation,” Raila said.
“I find the treatment of Mwinzi by our Parliament extremely dubious."
High Court has ruled that the nominee should not be forced to renounce her US citizenship stating that she is protected by the Constitution.
Justice James Makau ruled that Mwinzi, having been born of a US citizen mother, cannot opt-out.
“I have no hesitation to agree that citizenship by birth cannot be taken away by anyone,” the judge ruled.
Mwende was born in Milwaukee–USA–and by virtue of American laws became an American citizen by birth.
She went to school in Mombasa and Kitui before proceeding to Kenya High and later Kyeni Girls.
In the last general election, she unsuccessfully contested the Mwingi Central Parliamentary seat.
Edited by R.Wamochie