Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi back to House after four months

Embattled Ugunja Member of Parliament Opiyo Wandayi returned to the August House after a fou-month suspension that was handed to him by the National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi after he led other members of the opposition Coalition for Reforms and democracy (CORD) to disrupt President Uhuru Kenyatta’s state of the Nation Address on March 31st, 2016.

Wandayi was reinstated to the House by the Speaker last week following the recommendation of the Powers and Privileges Committee.

The Ugunja MP, together with Tom Joseph Kajwang (Ruaraka), Gladys Wanga (Homabay), John Mbadi (Suba), Fred Outa (Nyando), Simba Arati (Dagoretti North), Millie Odhiambo (Mbita) and Senator Moses Kajwang were thrown out of the House after they started blowing whistles to shut down President Kenyatta in a bid to stop his State of the Nation Address held at the National Assembly chambers.

During the address, the Head of State was forced to delay his speech more than twice after the opposition MPs failed to accord him the attention to address the nation, prompting Muturi to invoke his authority as the Speaker of the National Assembly and throwing out the MPs.

“While delivering an address to the House, the President shall be heard in silence and the address shall not be followed by any comment or question. The Standing Orders of both Houses are anchored on Article 124 of our Constitution. Any breach of the Standing Orders would be a breach on the anchor,” Muturi had stated.

The Speaker then invited the President to address the nation when his speech was interrupted again by the whistling Legislators forcing him to order Wandayi out of the House.

Wandayi refused to leave Parliament out of his own accord, leading the National Assembly Speaker to forcefully eject him.

“I order that be Honorable Wandayi be forcefully ejected by the Sergeant at Arms from the Chamber,” stated Muturi. “Wandayi is, therefore, suspended from the service of the House and must forfeit the right of access to Parliament, it is accordingly so ordered.”

The legislator moved to court to challenge the Speaker’s decision as unconstitutional. The High Court, sitting in Nairobi, overturned Muturi’s decision but the Speaker remained adamant that the Court has no authority over Standing Orders.

He later convened a meeting of the Powers and Privileges Committee that recommended the reinstatement of the MP.