We're ready to put Ruto’s administration on check – Azimio legislators

Legislators elected on political parties affiliated with Azimio la Umoja One coalition have said they are ready to put President William Ruto’s administration on check.

Members of the National Assembly and senators said they will effectively play their constitutional roles in both houses to ensure that the Kenya Kwanza government operates within the law.

They criticized Ruto for what some of them termed, starting off on a wrong footing by violating the law.

“We are happy that Azimio is intact, we are united as legislators elected on the coalition affiliate political parties despite the technicalities which happened after the August 9 polls,” Siaya woman representative Christine Ombaka said.

The leaders separately addressed reporters at the sidelines of Azimio parliamentary group meeting at Stoni Athi Resort in Mavoko, Machakos County on Saturday.

Azimio party leader Raila Odinga, Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua and Wiper's Kalonzo Musyoka attended the meeting on Friday.

“We came here to bond, it was a bonding session and to agree on how we are going to work as Azimio when we get to parliament once it’s opened,” Ombaka said.

“Which seats we are going to take as Azimio since we are the majority in both houses. We have lots of political parties in Azimio, we should seek for the seats fairly so that others can go to other affiliate parties,” Ombaka said.

She asked President William Ruto to operate within the law and as stipulated in the constitution.

“We wish everyone love, unity and peace. We are praying for the president so that he works with us and serve Kenyans well whether we voted him or not,” Ombaka said.

Mwingi MP Gideon Mulyungi said they are ready to perform their oversight roles.

“We are ready and we know that the way Ruto has started his job, he started with lots of faults because you can’t give executive orders of allocating funds to certain institutions without passing through parliament. We are ready to protect the constitution and criticize the government,” Mulyungi said.

Mumias West MP Johnson Naicca said Azimio will control both the senate and parliament since they were the majority.

“We are the majority. If we take leadership of both houses, then who is actually the majority? We are both in government, only that they think that they are the majority and we are the minority. We are saying No, we are the majority and they are a minority, we are 180, while they are 165 at the national assembly,” Naicca said.

Naika said Article 108 of the constitution was clear on who the majority is and what actually the agreement of the coalition is.

“You can’t leave Azimio before three months elapses. And even after three months elapse, you have to give a notice of three months. So, even if the three months elapse in November, there will be another three months for the notice. So, obviously, Azimio is the majority. We can’t debate on that,” Naicca said.