NASA, Jubilee MPs trade barbs over House sitting

Opposition coalition’s top leadership has said it will decide next week whether their newly-elected MPs will attend Thursday’s swearing-in as convened by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Speaking to the media from Okoa Kenya offices in Nairobi, National Super Alliance (NASA) co-principal Moses Wetangula termed President Kenyatta’s call to convene the 12th Parliament’s amid pending presidential poll petition premature and in bad faith.

“The President had all the chance to wait until the challenge to his election is determined by the Supreme Court before summoning Parliament,”  said the Ford Kenya party leader Wetangula.

Wetangula further outlined NASA’s plan of how they intend to navigate the petition in court.

“We will keep vigil within Nairobi and on Sunday we will have a major prayer session at Kamukunji Grounds. And finally on Monday, we expect all our members to accompany our leadership to court to attend the hearing of the petition,” said Wetangula.

Meanwhile, Jubilee Party MPs have dismissed threats by NASA MPs to boycott Thursday’s swearing in ceremony.

The lawmakers, numbering over 40 and led by Garissa Township MP Aden Duale, said there is no vacuum in leadership since President Kenyatta is still in office legally despite the presidential poll petition.

Speaking at Parliament Buildings, Duale faulted the opposition MP’s planned move stating that Parliament is not a party to the Supreme Court case.

The newly-elected MPs, both at the Senate and the National Assembly, are expected to be sworn in on Thursday before electing their Speakers and deputies.