Okiya Omtatah files case seeking to remove Justin Muturi and Ekwee Ethuro

Okiya Omtatah [PHOTO: STANDARD/FILE]

BY KURIAN MUSA

NAIROBI, KENYA: Political activists have filed a case seeking to remove the two Speakers of Parliament from office.

Okiya Omtatah and Wycliffe Gisebe want the court to declare Justin Muturi and Ekwee Ethuro unsuitable to hold office for refusal to uphold the Constitution.

They say that the speakers disobeyed duly served orders of the honourable Court on two occasions.

 Muturi and Ethuro are sued for allegedly not discharging their mandate to promote the rule of law and to protect the public interest.

That in so doing, the speakers are alleged to have brought dishonour to the nation and indignity to the offices they hold.

“The speaker has failed to promote public confidence in the Integrity of the office in the National Assembly,” reads part of the application.

ACCOUNTABLE

The two aver that conceptually the State is a source of good and can do no evil, it follows that the speaker is personally wholly responsible for disobeying orders of the court in the course of duty, and should individually be held accountable by the Court. The presiding officer of the County Assembly of Embu, Justus Kariuki Mate has also been sued of having refused to uphold the Constitution by disobeying orders that stopped the debate of impeaching suspended Governor Martin Wambora.

Kariuki is said to have failed to promote public confidence in the integrity of the office of the Speaker of the County Assembly of Embu.

The Inspector General of the National Police Service David Kimaiyo has been lined up as a respondent in the matter.

“He exercises independent command over the National Police Service, and performs any other functions prescribed by national legislation,” reads part of the application.