Orengo Urges Raila Party Not to Negotiate With Govt After Azimio Declared Majority in Parliament

Siaya Governor James Orengo has challenged Members of Parliament affiliated with the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) to reclaim what is rightfully theirs after the High Court’s landmark ruling on Friday, February 7.

In the ruling on Friday, the court quashed National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula’s decision to declare President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza Coalition the majority in parliament.

Speaking on Saturday during the burial of Mzee Richard Ochieng Oloo, Orengo boldly declared that the High Court decision effectively meant ODM emerged victorious in the 2022 polls.

“What the High Court said is a confirmation that election results announced in the last elections were not correct. That is the confirmation. Raila’s party and coalition could not have got the majority of seats and lost the presidential elections,” Orengo said.

The Siaya governor further sent a message to ODM leaders, calling on them to demand a majority position in Parliament.

He added, “I am asking my party ODM, not to lose the court declaration that Azimio is the majority in parliament. Do not leave it. Instead of sitting at the table with whoever is in power, the court is giving you what belongs to you.”

Orengo was adamant ODM leaders should not negotiate with Kenya Kwanza allies after the High Court’s decision.

The Bigger Picture:  Following the High Court ruling, questions have been raised on some of the decisions made by the Kenya Kwanza government under its assumed majority status.

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula has particularly come on the spot, since he was the one who declared the Kenya Kwanza Coalition the majority party on October 6, 2022. In his ruling, Wetang’ula stated that, after considering post-election agreements, Kenya Kwanza had 179 members, while the Azimio coalition had 157.

On the High Court’s latest decision, Wetangula, through his lawyers, described it as “ordinary” , as he maintained that the court’s determination had no impact on the current situation at hand. 

“I want to assure the nation and the Ford Kenya fraternity that there is no cause for alarm. What the court did was to make comments, which ordinarily is called per incuriam in law,” Wetangula’s team said. 

Wetang’ula emphasised that coalitions are dynamic, noting, “Coalitions are not cast in stone and are an evolving arrangement that can occur both before and after the elections.”

Following the decision, 12 Kenyans moved to court to argue that the Azimio Coalition held the majority with 171 MPs while the Kenya Kwanza Coalition had 156 legislators. 

With Parliament set to resume sittings on Tuesday, the National Assembly is expected to reconstitute 18 committees whose term expires on Tuesday. However, there is a wave of uncertainty on who will chair the committee following the High Court’s decision.