Wetang’ula Rejects Azimio Bid to Remove Junet Mohammed Over ‘Fake’ Kalonzo Letter
Delivering a ruling on the floor of the National Assembly on Tuesday, March 31, Wetang’ula questioned the credibility of the communication presented to his office, indicating that it failed to meet the procedural and formal standards required to effect leadership changes in Parliament.
According to the Speaker, the letter, dated March 9 and purportedly from the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party, sought to replace Junet Mohammed with Suba South MP Caroli Omondi as the Minority Leader. However, Wetang’ula pointed out multiple irregularities in the document, including typographical and grammatical inconsistencies, as well as doubts surrounding the authenticity of the signature attributed to Kalonzo Musyoka.
“My office received a letter dated March 9, purportedly from the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party. On the face of it, the letter is purportedly signed by Kalonzo Musyoka as the leader of the party and seeks to appoint Suba South MP Caroli Omondi as the leader of the Coalition Party Parliamentary Group,” Wetang’ula stated.
He further indicated that the anomalies in the letter raised serious questions about its origin and validity, making it unsuitable as a basis for implementing such a significant leadership change within the House.
“The letter presented to my office contains glaring typographical and grammatical errors, and the signature attributed to the party leader appears questionable,” the Speaker added, effectively rejecting the proposed changes.
The disputed letter followed an earlier announcement by the Azimio coalition indicating a reshuffle within its parliamentary leadership and broader party structures. In the communication, the coalition had declared the removal of Junet Mohammed from his role and the appointment of Caroli Omondi as his replacement.
The statement attributed the removals to members accepting appointments in government or aligning themselves with rival political formations, which the coalition argued contravened its internal rules.
“The meeting resolved that the following persons have, by virtue of their appointment to public office and/or having joined competing political coalitions, ceased to be members of the Azimio Coalition Council and the Azimio National Coalition Executive Council,” read part of the letter.
Despite these declarations, the Speaker’s ruling has effectively halted the implementation of the proposed changes within Parliament. As a result, Junet Mohammed retains his position as Minority Leader pending the submission of a valid and procedurally sound communication from the coalition.
Parliamentary procedure requires that any changes in leadership of coalition parties within the House be formally communicated through duly authorized and verifiable channels. The Speaker emphasized that his office must be satisfied with the authenticity of such documents before acting on them.
Attention now shifts to Kalonzo Musyoka and the coalition’s leadership, who are expected to clarify the situation and possibly submit a revised communication if they intend to pursue the leadership changes.
Until then, the status quo in the National Assembly remains unchanged, with Junet Mohammed continuing to serve as Minority Leader amid heightened political scrutiny.
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Wetang’ula Rejects Azimio Bid to Remove Junet Mohammed Over ‘Fake’ Kalonzo Letter
