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The National Assembly has dismissed an effort by a lobby group to raise concerns about Speaker Moses Wetang’ula’s conduct.
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The House rejected the Grassroot Oversight Initiative (GOI)’s proposal, citing procedural restrictions outlined in parliamentary rules.
In a letter dated February 7, 2025, Clerk of the National Assembly Samuel Njoroge informed the petitioners that parliamentary guidelines prohibit discussions regarding the Speaker’s behavior unless a formal motion is introduced by an MP.
“We have reviewed the Constitution, the Petition to Parliament (Procedure) Act, 2012, and the National Assembly Standing Orders, and note that Standing Order 87(1) states that the Speaker’s conduct can only be debated through a substantive motion with at least three days’ notice,” the letter explained.
The Clerk further emphasized that only an MP directly affected by the Speaker’s conduct has the legal right to present such a motion, making the Grassroot Oversight Initiative’s petition inadmissible.
“Given this, your petition is inadmissible,” Njoroge wrote.
This response effectively blocks the group’s attempt to challenge the Speaker’s leadership through external petitions or interventions.
The letter highlights the procedural safeguards that prevent the Speaker from being publicly censured, reaffirming that only MPs can initiate such debates within the House.
The Grassroot Oversight Initiative, which had sought to contest Wetang’ula’s actions, has yet to respond to the National Assembly’s ruling.
The rejection underscores the procedural barrier facing any external groups aiming to influence internal parliamentary matters without the support of lawmakers.
On February 6, 2025, the GOI submitted a motion notice to the Clerk, seeking to censure Wetang’ula over his declaration of Kenya Kwanza as the majority party in the House, following a High Court ruling that had invalidated his 2022 declaration.
