This archive report was first published on 3 December 2019.
Published on December 3, 2019, National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has issued a bold challenge to a group of MPs allied to Deputy President William Ruto, daring them to make good their threat of impeaching him.
The MPs, led by Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, had threatened to remove Muturi from office over his remarks on Sunday that the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report cannot be tabled for debate in the House.
According to Muturi, the BBI report is a product of the Executive and can only be allowed for debate in the House as a government policy document through the President's address.
He explained that the report is a product of the Executive and cannot be introduced in the House in its current form, citing House standing orders.
“What is it coming to parliament to do? Is it a white paper or government policy document..? It is none of those. Until the owners of the document decide that, yes, it can go to parliament,” said Muturi.
Muturi also stated that the report could also be introduced in Parliament in the form of a Bill that must first be tabled in the 47 county assemblies for consideration.
“As it is now, even if there are propositions in that report that could lead to suggestions to amend some parts of the Constitution, those proposals have not been reduced into anything that one can talk about legislation. If a time comes that there is a need, even if it’s by popular initiative, the process is there,” added Muturi.
For his part, Muturi has made it clear that he is ready for impeachment, stating that he has made it easier to remove a speaker and that any motion to impeach him will be put on the order paper immediately.
