In Summary
- The senators wanted Kuria to be grilled on his recent attacks on the media, a move which Speaker Kingi declined
- Kingi however dismissed Sifuna on grounds that he did not follow the due procedure when filing the motion therefore breaching the standing orders.
Azimio La Umoja Senators on Wednesday walked out of the Senate in protest after Speaker Amason Kingi dismissed a motion seeking to censure Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria.
The senators wanted Kuria to be grilled on his recent attacks on the media, a move which Speaker Kingi refused.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna who had on Monday filed a motion on Monday seeking to grill Kuria, today sounght clarifications on the grounds Kuria will be allowed to address the house.
“My fear is that the CS is going to use this privilege of appearing before the Senate to cleanse himself of the accusations contained in that motion,” he said.
“We in the minority side are objecting to his presence in this House and seek guidance on whether his presence here today to the dispense of this motion is prejudicial to the same motion.”
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Personal and Painful
Sifuna was supported by Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua who described Kuria’s remarks as personal and painful to him.
“To allow a Cabinet Secretary to use the floor of this House to sanitize himself over accusations of abuse and insults directed at media houses is a painful thing for me,” said Wambua.
Kingi however dismissed Sifuna on grounds that he did not follow the due procedure when filing the motion therefore breaching the standing orders.
“Pursuant to Standing Order number 60 that addresses on matters motion, a Senator first, before moving a motion, they must file a notice of motion and before you move it the first thing you do is to take to the clerk a copy of the proposed motion,” explained Kingi.
“Thereafter the clerk is required to submit it to the Speaker and the Speaker, using certain parameters as guided under Standing Order 63, the Speaker guided himself in order either to admit that particular motion or to rule it inadmissible.”
Uncomfortable with Kingi’s decision, the minority senators staged a walk out.
