Nairobi MCAs back from recess amid standoff on Elachi

Embattled Speaker Beatrice Elachi who was last year ousted by Nairobi MCAs. As the assembly resumes from recess on June 4, 2019, it remains to be seen if the MCAs will allow her back. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

Majority Leader Abdi Guyo said that they will be looking into the 2019/2020 budget.

The Labour court quashed the decision by the assembly to censure Ms Elachi.

Sought for comment, Ms Elachi remained tight-lipped, refusing to comment on the issue.

The Nairobi County Assembly resumes business Tuesday after a month-long recess with focus on whether embattled Speaker Beatrice Elachi will finally make a comeback, eight months after her ouster by MCAs.

At the same time, the MCAs, who went on recess early May will be scrutinising the budget that is due next month and other bills already tabled before the House before it adjourned.

County Assembly Majority Leader Abdi Guyo said that they will be looking into the 2019/2020 budget, Nairobi County Revenue Administration Bill and other Bills which had already been brought before the House before it went on recess.

BUDGET

“We will be scrutinising the budget, passing of the Revenue Bill and others which are in their second reading,” said the Matopeni MCA on Sunday.

On Speaker Elachi, Mr Guyo said nothing has changed so far and there is no way back for her as the ward representatives had lost confidence in her.

“I am out of the country but I doubt if she will be allowed back. People lost confidence in her long time ago,” he said.

Speaker Elachi got a reprieve last month after the Employment and Labour Relations Court quashed the decision by the assembly to censure her, arguing that the House committee had no powers or jurisdiction to impeach Ms Elachi without according her due process.

PROHIBITED

The court further prohibited the county assembly from entertaining or debating any motion to remove Ms Elachi without according her due process.

Despite the reinstatement by the court, the MCAs have said that they will continue to treat the besieged Speaker as a stranger, vowing not to allow her back into the assembly.

Led by the House leadership, the ward reps have maintained their ground that they will not allow Ms Elachi back to Nairobi County Assembly precincts as their Speaker, arguing that courts have no powers to interfere with legislative processes.

OLIVE BRANCH

This is in spite of the former nominated senator extending an olive branch to the ward representatives, calling for peace and close working relationship.

She urged the MCAs to rise above personal interests and stop personalising politics but focus on service delivery to Nairobi residents.

Ms Elachi has come under siege since her ouster in September 2018 which was followed by chaotic scenes in her attempts to come back to office.

The county legislators went ahead to elect Ngara MCA Chege Mwaura as an acting Speaker later in the month.

Mr Mwaura has been holding forte ever since.

Sought for comment, Ms Elachi remained tight-lipped, refusing to comment on the issue.