Kitui speaker denies hand in Wiper MCAs house leadership row

Kitui county assembly speaker Kevin Katisya has denied taking sides in the row pitting Wiper MCAs.

Katisya who spoke to the Star on Wednesday said the claims were untrue.

Wiper MCAs in the Kitui assembly are split after one team voted to replace majority leader Harrison Maluki two weeks ago.

But the aggrieved section of the Wiper MCAs rejected the change that saw Maluki replaced by John Mwinzi.

The faction that engineered the Wiper leadership changes also replaced majority whip Boniface Mukwate with Daniel Ngoima.

“Some are claiming that I have taken sides. Nothing can be further from the truth. I'm not partisan in any way," Katisya said.

He instead pledged to offer legal and professional guidance to the wrangling factions to resolve the matter.

The speaker alleged there were external forces that were out to cause  disunity and infighting among the Kitui MCAs.

“I can tell you authoritatively that there are some mischievous external forces who want to cause disorientation in our assembly for political expediency. They want to split MCAs along the lines of Wiper, Narc and other parties to cause division. Others are on a revenge mission,” Katisya said.

He said his word on the squabbling on the Wiper party leadership will be pegged on the dictates of the assembly Standing Orders and the County Government Act.

He lamented that the conflict in the leadership was detrimental to the smooth running of the assembly and a solution must be found fast.

The speaker said he could not offer guidance on the row until Tuesday next week  because conflict rose while MCAs were on recess.

He said since the assembly reconvenes for normal business next week, he will act appropriately by giving professional direction.

“Once we resume business next week, I will act on the matter professionally in response to the change of Wiper leadership in the House. The MCAs are honourable members and deserve a response on the going on from their speaker. I will respond in a professional manner guided by the Standing Orders and the County Government Act,” the speaker said.

Katisya said he was not partisan in the Wiper MCAs wrangles as claimed by some MCAs.

He defended himself against his last Monday action in which he ordered the ejection of Mwinzi and Ngoima from the assembly for occupying the seat reserved for majority leader and majority whip without authority.

“They wanted to occupy the seat of the majority leader. I had no choice but to order them to vacate. When they resisted then serjeant-at-arms moved in to do their work,” he said.