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Miguna top agenda as Nairobi County Assembly resumes


Nairobi County Assembly resumes business on Tuesday after over a month long recess with all eyes cast on whether the name of Miguna Miguna will be tabled for debate.

Assembly Speaker Ms Beatrice Elachi is expected to present the letter nominating lawyer Miguna as the next deputy governor in the House for debate.

Ms Elachi had at first objected the nomination of the former gubernatorial candidate saying that the letter nominating him was presented to her unprocedurally while also raising concern over the ongoing citizenship row surrounding the lawyer.

She later stated that she has no reason to object Governor Mike Sonko’s choice.

“I have no authority to reject a nominee Governor Sonko has picked. That is why I will present the letter nominating Miguna to the county assembly so members can approve or reject it,” said Ms Elachi during a meeting with members of Nairobi Liaison committee at Flamingo Beach Hotel in Mombasa.

HANDSHAKE

However, a source privy to happenings at City Hall told Nation that the governor has not presented the name of Miguna to the Speaker as is required by the law.

“The speaker has not received Miguna’s nomination letter and I doubt whether she will receive it before the House resumes,” said the source who requested anonymity.

Governor Sonko last month nominated Dr Miguna to replace his former deputy Mr Polycarp Igathe while also appealing to President Uhuru Kenyatta to forgive the lawyer ‘in the spirit of the handshake’.

He has also insisted that he had not broken any law with the nomination, stating that he followed the due process as he is empowered by the Constitution to nominate a deputy governor of his choice.

But even as the City Hall boss maintains his stance on the controversial nomination of the lawyer, which has sparked heated debate within the Jubilee camp, doubts linger whether the name of the controversial lawyer will indeed be tabled on Tuesday.

NON-CITIZENSHIP

Nairobi MCAs drawn from the Jubilee party have been objected he nomination saying they will not waste their time debating Dr Miguna as he is not a Kenyan and thus unqualified to hold any position at the county.

Led by majority leader Abdi Guyo, the ward representatives explained that article 78(2) of the Constitution does not allow anyone with dual citizenship to be a state officer and Political Parties Act also does not allow anyone who is not a member of the same party as the governor to be nominated.

“The laws is clear and as such Sonko who is a Jubilee Party member to nominate someone from Independent Party. It is as simple and clear as that,” said the Spring Valley/Matopeni Ward MCA.

Mr Guyo’s sentiments have been echoed by Ngara MCA Chege Mwaura who says Miguna will not be approved by the Assembly as the next deputy governor.

“We honestly do not feel that Miguna is a source of stability. We have consulted amongst ourselves as the members of the vetting committee and it is our considered opinion that Miguna cannot be the person to help him achieve all the goals of Nairobi,” said the MCA.