NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 16- Azimio Senators on Thursday walked out of the chambers in protest after the House Speaker failed to communicate leadership changes that saw Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo ousted as the Minority Whip.
Led by Minority Leader Stewart Madzayo, the Senators accused Speaker Amason Kingi of being partisan and leaning towards the Kenya Kwanza side in order to “kill the opposition.”
“We communicated to the speaker in regard to the changes so that he could be in a position to make the communication to the House. That is the role of the Speaker but incidentally, the Speaker has been dodging and he has refused to communicate to the House and in that regard rendering the Minority side open without leaders,” Madzayo said.
His Narok counterpart Ledama Ole Kina, who is poised to replace Dullo, accused Kingi of being incompetent and threatened to bring a motion to the House to remove him as the House Speaker.
They vowed that no other business will take place at the Senate until the Azimio changes are effected.
“We know the character of the Speaker and we would not wish to discuss his character here but this standing order he has violated give us room and we are now contemplating to exercise our right under number 16 which is the removal of the Speaker. This is the next motion that we will bring. What has transpired at the House today is something that will take this country back,” Ole Kina said.
On Tuesday, Azimio Coalition stripped Dullo of the Minority Whip position accusing her of supporting the Kenya Kwanza side, and replaced her with Kina who will be deputized by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna.
The changes were announced by Azimio Coalition leader Raila Odinga.
Dullo faced the wrath of the Odinga-led coalition following her recent dalliance with President William Ruto’s administration following a visit to State House alongside 30 other Jubilee lawmakers.
“We have asked our team to continue representing Azimio effectively in the house. Azimio stands for the defense and interest of the people in the house,” Odinga said.
The Coalition however retained Mombasa Senator Stewart Madzayo as the Minority Leader and Kitui Senator Enock Wambua as the Deputy Minority Leader.
Dullo is the first lawmaker to face the wrath of the coalition following the resolution made by Azimio La Umoja One Kenya parliamentary group meeting last week.
