Kitui County Assembly speaker Kevin Katisya who gave the 11 MCAs marching orders on Wednesday/Musembi Nzengu.An attempt to impeach Kitui speaker Kevin Katisya suffered a setback after the motion's sponsor was suspended from the house for 90 days.
Matinyani MCA Sylvester Munyalo, a second-term legislator elected on a Narc Kenya ticket, last week filed a notice accusing Katisya of abuse of office, conflict of interest and gross violation of the constitution.
Thirty one MCAs appended their signatures to support the motion.
But on Wednesday, Speaker Katisya suspended him from the house, citing gross misconduct and suspended Munyalo alongside 10 other MCAs under Standing Order No 103A.
Katisya ruled that their actions undermined the dignity of the assembly and disrupted its smooth running.
The suspension effectively kills the impeachment bid since motions are bound by time.
Munyalo said the suspension will not stop him from proceeding
with his impeachment motion.
He said the speaker has no powers to suspend MCAs before they defend
themselves before the powers and privilege committee.
"I want to tell you that speaker's decision to read
our names claiming we are suspended is of no consequence. Expect all of us in
the assembly when sittings resume next week on Tuesday," Munyalo said.
He likened the Speaker's action to a political war that must be
fought within the assembly.
The MCA said moving to court to challenge the purported
suspension is not a priority.
"The people we represent expect us to fight for them and we
must then be able to fight for ourselves in the assembly. We will fight
to ensure we oust the speaker. He has asked for it," Munyalo said.
Some of the suspended MCAs were accused of causing chaos during Governor Julius Malombe’s recent State of the County Address while others are accused of leaking confidential information to the press in breach of the County Assemblies Service Act.
Katisya said the mass suspension is necessary to restore order. Critics, however, say it is a tactical move to evade impeachment.
