WIPER MCAs SAY NO TO KALONZO

Members of the county assembly have dismissed as a “nullity” the removal of Majority Leader Joshua Mwonga by the Wiper party’s National Executive Council.

The council, chaired by party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, on Friday met and resolved to have majority leaders of Machakos and Makueni counties stripped of their positions for initiating impeachment Motions against Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana and Machakos Deputy Governor Bernard Kiala.

Mr Musyoka said the party leadership wanted to restore order by de-whipping the two majority leaders.

He further challenged those disrespecting the party to resign and seek fresh mandate through other parties.

But the move was opposed by members of the Machakos County Assembly.

They said every citizen has a right to hold a divergent opinion without being victimised.

In a statement, the MCAs said Mr Mwonga was being punished for supporting Governor Alfred Mutua and not Senator Johnson Muthama.

“This is a great mockery to democracy, rules of natural justice and principles of fairness,” says the statement.

The MCAs further said the move was “dictatorial” and reminded them of the dark days of the Kanu rule.

They called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to ensure parties do not become agents of impunity but vehicles of good governance.

The MCAs said the majority leader was not nominated by the party’s NEC, but by members of the county assembly.

They said the party NEC cannot purport to remove Mr Mwonga without following the due process.

The MCAs said they had confidence in Mr Mwonga as the majority leader, and in Governor Mutua.

They urged the national leadership of the party to devolve decision-making to lower levels.