Parliamentary Leadership: Millie Odhiambo claims Majority Whip position after court ruling

Azimio lawmakers have asked the Speaker of Parliament to implement a court ruling that would make the opposition coalition the majority party in Parliament. Suba North North MP Millie Odhiambo said that court ruling made her the de factor Majority whip in Parliament. Millie Odhiambo wrote to the speaker, Moses Watengula, to appoint her the majority whip, and Junet Mohamed as Majority leader. Mohammed said that the decision by the courts was final, and be immediately implemented, unless appealed. “There is no third way to go about the court ruling by three judges. It is either obeyed or appealed. This ruling must be respected. It cannot be taken jokingly,” Junet said. Muhammed was supported by Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo. “When the decision is quashed, the leader of minority becomes the majority leader by operation of the law even if you do nothing. Let it be appealed but until then let Junet Mohamed be the majority leader,” Amollo said. A high court in Nairobi ruled as unconstitutional Speaker Moses Wetang’ula’s declaration, which followed his decision to assign Azimio defectors to Kenya Kwanza without proof of a treaty between their parties and Kenya Kwanza. The three-judge bench comprising of Justices John Chigiti, Lawrence Mugambi and Jairus Ngaah found that the speaker violated the Constitution by making the determination without sufficient legal basis. Wetang'ula has stood by his 2022 ruling and maintained the status quo of the House leadership. He ruled that the leadership of the House remained unchanged, with Kenya Kwanza as the Majority with 165 members, and Azimio as the Minority with 154 members. "Arising from the foregoing, the Kenya Kwanza is the majority and the Azimio is the minority. The Leadership of the House remains unchanged," the speaker said. Wetang'ula said that the court did not give the direction on which side was the Majority or Minority.