The ODM party's bid to take over majority leadership of Nyamira County Assembly has been rejected by the speaker, who declared UPA party as the legitimate majority party.
Speaking during a full county assembly, Speaker Enock Okero dismissed the ODM secretary general's nominee for the position on the grounds that the ODM lacked the numerical strength to take over the majority leadership.
The Speaker told the Assembly that his office had received a communication from ODM nominating Duke Masira as the Majority Leader but there was no basis for the nomination as the party did not have a majority in the County Assembly.
“I received a letter from the UPA and is referenced the notice of designation of Deputy Leader of Majority party and deputy majority Whip of Nyamira County Assembly. This is to inform you that in accordance with the political parties’ Act 2012 that vests the powers for the designation of powers in the leadership of the county assembly to the majority of the ruling party… we hereby designate the Hon Ednah Moraa Obaga as the deputy leader of majority party in Nyamira County Assembly,” said Mr Okero.
Mr Okero said that after receiving documents proving that UPA was the majority party in Nyamira County Assembly, he had no justification to declare ODM as the majority party in the county assembly as it was against the constitutional guidelines.
“Today we had a seating in which we announced the names of those nominated by the speaker of the county Assembly. I wish to congratulate Mr Mose for the achievement. The changes are important in strengthening the Nyamira County Assembly House leadership in which the UPA Party is the Majority Party," said UPA Party National Chairperson and Rigoma Ward MCA Nyambega Gisesa.
The position of Majority Leader in the Assembly fell vacant following the death of Elijah Osiemo, who perished in a road accident.
On October 15, the Secretary General of the Governor Amos Nyaribo-led UPA Party, Jacob Bagaka, informed the Speaker of the decision to have the vacancy filled by Abel Mokaya Mose.
Two days later, ODM Secretary General and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna wrote to the Nyamira County Assembly Speaker nominating Township Ward MCA Duke Oyagi Masira, an ODM member, for the position of Majority Leader.
Initially, the UPA had six elected and three nominated members, making a total of nine.
However, with the demise of Mr Osiemo, the UPA now has eight members.
The ODM, on the other hand, has four elected MCAs.
Others with one member each are Wiper, United Democratic Alliance, Amani National Congress, PPOK and KNC.
