Reinstated Nairobi County Assembly clerk now issues notice suspending Speaker Elachi

Drama continues to unfold in the Nairobi County Assembly with reinstated clerk Jacob Ngwele now issuing a notice suspending Speaker Beatrice Elachi from presiding over assembly affairs until her censure motion is dispensed by the MCAs.

Ngwele issued the notice to the Speaker moments after the High Court on Tuesday suspended the appointment of Edward Gichana, who was sworn in as the new Nairobi County Assembly clerk by Elachi last Friday.

In the letter to the Speaker, Ngwele says he has received a Notice of Motion, dated July 27, 2020 and sponsored by MCA Waithera Chege, seeking Elachi’s removal on various grounds among them gross misconduct, incompetence and violation of the Constitution.

“This Office, in compliance with the provisions of the said Section 11 of the Act and the Standing Orders, has undertaken a verification exercise for compliance of the Notice of Motion to the law and the Standing Orders of the Nairobi City County Assembly. I am satisfied that the Motion has met the required minimums for tabling under the Act,” reads the letter.

The Clerk notes that the motion has met required threshold therefore the Speaker stands suspended from service.

“…the Notice of Motion having garnered the requisite one third of signatures of all Members of the County Assembly, you are hereby suspended from the service of the County Assembly until the House dispenses with the Motion within the Statutory timelines provided for above,” adds the letter.

Meanwhile, the Clerk has notified the Speaker that she is invited to appear before the County Assembly Plenary on Tuesday, August 4th to respond to the Notice of Impeachment.

On Tuesday, the High Court suspended the appointment of Edward Gichana as the new Nairobi County Assembly clerk pending hearing and determination of a petition filed by Jacob Ngwele whom he was set to replace.

In a gazette notice dated July 24, 2020, Elachi said the assembly’s service board had appointed Mr. Gichana as the new clerk to replace Jacob Ngwele.

Ngwele however moved to court insisting that he is the legally recognised clerk of the county assembly.

Earlier on Tuesday Chaos once again rocked City Hall as a section of Nairobi Members of County Assembly attempted to storm Speaker Beatrice Elachi’s office.

The MCAs wanted to serve Elachi her impeachment motion notice, claiming they had collected 62 signatures.

They encountered a contingent of police who repulsed them injuring several county assembly members among them Mlango Kubwa MCA Mutheu Musyimi.