County assembly elects Chege Mwaura as acting County speaker in light of Elachi's woes

Chege Mwaura adresses members of the fourth estate shortly after his win.He also doubles up as the Ngara ward representative. [Photo: Standard]

The Nairobi County Assembly has voted in Ngara MCA Chege Mwaura as the acting County speaker following Elachi's ouster.

The MCAs who were resuming their sittings from a month-long recess yesterday had resolved that the County leadership had a vacuum and moved to appoint a speaker albeit in acting capacity in light of speaker Beatrice Elachi's woes.

Deputy speaker, John Kamangu tabled the motion to elect an acting speaker through a supplementary order paper.

Speaker Beatrice Elachi was impeached on September 6 for alleged gross misconduct and abuse of power in her absence but obtained court orders temporarily reinstating her to her position.

On September 10 however, the MCAs stormed her office and dramatically ejected her.
"The absence of the speaker due to the issues affecting her creates a vacuum which the house cannot afford and since the county governments act and the constitution allows for members to elect an acting speaker in the absence of one, I direct that this house does so," stated Kamangu.

According to the County governments act of section 9 (4) states that at any time in the absence of the speaker of the county assembly or in matters that directly affect the speaker, the county assembly shall elect a member to act as speaker as contemplated under Article 178(2)(b) of the Constitution.

Kamangu went on to ask members of the house to nominate members who they would wish to serve as the interim speaker of which three names were fronted.

They included Ngara MCA Chege Mwaura whowas suggested by South B MCA Chege Waithera, nominated MCA Mary Njambi suggested by Ziwani MCA Millicent Mugadi  and nominated MCA Mary Arivisa who was suggested by Minority Chief Whip Peter Imwatok.

Mca Njambi who was recently sprayed with pepper spray by speaker Elachi however declined the nomination and supported Chege Mwaura. Drama however ensued after Arivisa stormed into the assembly shouting that the members were misusing her name and angrily withdrew her nomination. The sergeants at arm had to drag her out for order to reign.

There being no other contestant and in accordance with the law, Kamangu declared Chege Mwaura as the acting speaker who took over operations immediately.

"I want to thank you for this opportunity and accept it with utmost humility because it is not that I am better than you but one of you. I will operate on an open door policy and want to assure you that even the minority members will have their way," stated an emphatic Mwaura.