Kirinyaga county feuds on despite court ruling – Weekly Citizen

There was jubilation when Kerugoya High Court invalidated a move that removed 12 elected MCAs in Kirinyaga county from being chairpersons of various assembly committees four months ago. However, those opposed to the ruling are working on plan B.
High Court judge Justice Lucy Gitari while annulling the removal said the move was unprocedural as it had undermined the fundamental rights of the said MCAs.
The ruling lasted for an hour. Gitari noted that at the time the 12 were removed, there was no assembly speaker as David Githanda had already tendered his resignation.
She said Githanda had tendered his resignation on July 31 while the said removal took place on August 16 in the absence of the speaker making the process unprocedural as it violated assembly standing orders.
The leader of majority started the whole saga after moving a vote of no confidence to have the removal of some of the elected MCAs accusing them of being ineffective and replacing them with nominated MCAs.
Judge Gitari ruled there was no dispute that the speaker wrote a letter of resignation which the members approved in the business of the house.

MCA Baptista Kanga

After the ruling, the petitioner and Wamumu ward MCA Baptista Kanga said it was a win for Kirinyaga people.
Immediately after the ruling, assembly majority leader Kamau Murango declared his team would now exploit the loopholes the court had pointed out to dislodge the 12 MCAs once and for all.
Murango who was in the courtroom accompanied by a handful of his colleagues vowed to ensure the 12 did not chair any of the crucial assembly committees.
The MCAs who had been removed were Gudson Muchina (Tebere), Fredrick Bundi (Njukiine), Pius Njogu (Thiba), Peter Njomo (Mutithi), Sammy Maina (Nyangati), Johnson Muraguri (Kiine), Kinyua Wangui (Mutira), Mathew Ireri (Ngariama), Harrison Ngiria (Kanyekini), Andrew Gitari (Inoe) and Patrick Chomba of Kabare .
They had sued the clerk to the assembly as the first respondent and the Attorney General respectively.
The assembly is yet to elect a substantive speaker with Joel Wagura, the Kariti ward MCA and who was the deputy being the acting speaker.
Githanda served for one year before he resigned on personal reasons.
Wangechi Githinji was the first assembly speaker with the current assembly having 20 elected MCAs and 13 nominated ones.