Friday, June 21, 2024 – ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has accused National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula of bias during the debate on the contentious Finance Bill 2024.
Speaking
on behalf of Raila Odinga’s Azimio, Sifuna accused Wetangula of bias and
unprocedural irregularities during the debate.
He
criticized Wetangula's conduct, likening him to a DJ at a disco matanga and
accusing him of micromanaging debates.
"Speaker Wetangula is running the house like a DJ at a disco matanga in Matisi.
"He is controlling the mic himself, shutting the mic at any time and interjecting every time a member is making a contribution.
"He should let the debate
flow," Sifuna lamented during a press briefing on Thursday.
The
Senators, including Ledama Ole Kina and Godfrey Osotsi, also expressed dismay
at what they perceived as biased treatment favouring the government.
Osotsi
condemned Wetangula, stating, "Moses Wetangula is running the National
Assembly like a baraza in Kamukunji Market, where there is no appreciation of
the fact that a speaker should be impartial, independent and must be
fair."
Central
to their grievances is the Speaker's decision to lock them out of the National
Assembly chambers, preventing them from participating in or observing the
ongoing debate.
"Why
should members of parliament be afraid of members of the public? These are the
people who elected us," Sifuna questioned.
The
exclusion of Senators from the galleries, traditionally open to the public
during debates, has intensified tensions within the assembly.
Sifuna
criticised the closure, emphasising the importance of MPs being present to
fulfill their legislative duties.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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