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Memorable Moments of the Second Nairobi County Assembly

Jun 11, 2022
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With Nairobi County Assembly adjourning for Elections-Sine die; this second Assembly will be remembered for many more bad things than good.

The Second Nairobi County Assembly under the 2010 constitution was filled with plenty of memorable moments ranging from the passing of key bills impeachments, court battles, power struggles, and police brutality among many more.

Below are some of the topics and moments that caught the attention of the Public.

Impeachment of Speaker Beatrice Elachi.

In September 2018, the Nairobi County Assembly voted to impeach its speaker just a year after assuming office.
MCA’s overwhelmingly voted to impeach the speaker who amended the standing orders to shorten the process of impeachment.

Out of 122 Members of the Assembly who were present 103 voted for her ouster.
Previously, 108 had signed a petition to impeach her meaning the constitution threshold of 85 had already been met.


The ouster took place in presence of the full house both the opposition and Jubilee members.
In a motion that was tabled by Waithaka Member of County Assembly Anthony Kiragu, he listed various constitution violations, the leadership integrity Act 2012 as well as the powers and privileges Act 2017 as the reasons for her impeachment.

Elachi moved to Court to challenge her ouster saying they had not followed the right process.
She claimed that many of the members had been coaxed into signing the petition to impeach her.
The embattled speaker was then returned to the office on October 9 2019 by the Employment and Labour Relations Court after being out for over a year.

In a session that almost degenerated into physical violence, Chaos and drama were witnessed as MCAs were divided over the reinstatement of Elachi.

She accused the Majority leader Abdi Guyo of being the reason behind the violence every time she was reinstated and even said that her life was in danger.

“If I die today, the Majority leader of this Assembly should be held accountable. I am ready for anything as a team leader,” said Elachi.

This was the time when tear gas was witnessed in the Assembly.

After all the tussle on August 11, 2020, Elachi announced her resignation handing it over to her deputy John Kamangu.

She cited frustrations and threats to her life as reasons behind her resignation.

Elachi resigned at a time when Governor Mike Sonko had been barred from accessing office after facing corruption Charges, embroiled in leadership wrangles with NMS leader Mohammed Badi

Governor Mike Sonko Impeachment
On 3rd December 2020, Governor Mike Sonko was impeached despite him seeking court orders to stop the voting.

88 MCAs took part in the session as he had flown 57 to Kwale to defeat the plan as Speaker Benson Mutura continued with the motion.

He had survived an ouster that year, 2020 February after the court intervened and stopped the tabling of the motion.

Sonko was accused by MCAs of violation of the constitution and other laws, abuse of office, the commission of crimes under the national laws, and lack of mental capacity to run Nairobi County.

The Senate Upheld his ouster citing 11 charges against him related to violation of the constitution and other laws, abuse of office, the commission of crimes under the national laws, and lack of mental capacity to run Nairobi County.

He went to court to appeal his impeachment but lost it and Governor Ann Kananu was sworn in as the third Governor of Nairobi.

Nairobi Metropolitan Services Left Sonko without A portfolio

The powers of Sonko were reduced after he signed a deed of transfer of Functions to the National Government.

The takeover included crucial county functions of the County, i.e. Health, Public Service, utility and Ancillary services, and County Development and Planning.

Nairobi Metropolitan Services headed by Lieutenant General Mohammed Badi was established by the President to head the transferred functions.

Sonko was left with control of less influential county departments.

NMS was supposed to serve for two years which were to end this year in February but was extended until August after elections by Governor Ann Kananu.

Kananu was inaugurated as the third Governor after Acting when Sonko was impeached.

United Assembly At Last

The Nairobi Assembly Speaker Mutura has thanked the President and ODM leader Raila Odinga for believing in him to serve as the third speaker of the Nairobi County Assembly.

“I take this opportunity to thank H.E Uhuru Kenyatta and the Rt. Raila Odinga for believing in me and identifying me to serve as the speaker during this critical time. I shall forever be indebted to the two leaders,” said Mutura.

He also thanked the other leadership of the Assembly and the Clerk for the support they gave him since taking office.

He also thanked the other leadership of the Assembly and the Clerk for the support they gave him since taking office.

Mutura said he is happy to leave a united Assembly despite having found it so much divided.

“When I joined this Assembly in August 2020, I found it as a divided House. I am glad and happy that I managed to bring together all factions and we leave a united Assembly,” he added.

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