Embattled Speaker accuses MCAs of disobeying court

Machakos County Assembly Speaker Ann Kiusya. (Courtesy)

The bid to impeach Machakos County Assembly Speaker Ann Kiusya took a new twist after the High Court prioritised the Speaker’s petition to cite several respondents for contempt of court.

Justice Rhoda Ruto had last week scheduled an inter-parties hearing on the matter of impeachment of Kiusya pursuant to earlier orders issued by the same court on April 1, 2025 to the House stopping any ouster proceedings.

The orders had been directed to the County Assembly, the Clerk of the County Assembly, Deputy Speaker Stephen Mwanthi, Leader of Majority Nicholas Nzioka and MCAs pushing for the Speaker’s ouster.

Justice Ruto had also scheduled hearing of an application by two intended interested parties, John Musembi and Richard Mulwa, both of whom are challenging Kiusya’s impeachment motion.

Kiusya has filed an application under a certificate of urgency, where in a sworn affidavit she accused the MCAs of disregarding orders of the court.

“Court orders are not mere suggestions or opinions and must be unreservedly complied with, being mandatory directives issued by the court after well-informed considerations and circumspection,” Kiusya said.

She told the court that the MCAs were scheming to illegally, unlawfully and irregularly remove her from office by proceeding to sign and resubmit a questionable Motion in contempt of active orders.

“The resubmitted Motion is an exact replica of the original Motion dated March 17, 2025 whose processing, tabling, scheduling, listing in the order paper, debate and voting was suspended by this honorable court,” Kiusya said in court papers seen by The Standard.

The Speaker further accuses Deputy Speaker Mwanthi of proceeding to receive the Motion and process it in full knowledge of the conservatory orders issued by the court.

“The contemnors have acted willfully in breach of the law and display of impunity. The said actions have challenged the sanctity of the law and court orders and by extension the supremacy of the rule of law,” the Speaker said through her lawyer Samuel Kioko.

Justice Ruto fixed hearing of the contempt of court suit on May 21, 2025.

Meanwhile, the county assembly plenary and committee sittings remain suspended.