Moses Wetang’ula has once again ignited political tensions by ignoring a court ruling and declaring Kenya Kwanza as the majority coalition in Parliament. His latest move comes despite a High Court decision that overturned his previous ruling on the matter. On Wednesday afternoon, Wetang’ula announced that Kenya Kwanza has 165 MPs, while Azimio has 154.
He justified his decision by arguing that his office, not the courts, has the authority to determine which coalition holds the majority.
According to Wetang’ula, Kenya Kwanza’s numbers are made up of 145 MPs from UDA, eight from ANC, six from Ford Kenya, two from The Service Party, and one each from four smaller parties.
On the other hand, he counted Azimio’s numbers as 83 from ODM, 28 from Jubilee, 26 from Wiper, six from KANU, five from DAP-K, and others from smaller parties.
However, 14 MPs from UDM, PAA, CCM, and MCC were not included in either coalition. These parties had signed agreements to leave Azimio and join Kenya Kwanza, but Wetang’ula argued that they had not yet completed the legal process required to switch sides.
The High Court had previously ruled that Wetang’ula’s reasoning lacked sufficient evidence to prove that Kenya Kwanza had the majority.
The judges accused him of violating Article 108 of the Constitution by making a decision without proper justification. Despite this, Wetang’ula has stood firm, contradicting his own ruling from 2022 when he had counted the 14 MPs as part of Kenya Kwanza.
His change of stance has raised questions about his motives and whether this is a deliberate political strategy.This latest declaration is expected to spark more legal and political battles as Azimio leaders reject the ruling and push back.
Wetang’ula’s defiance of the court raises concerns about the role of the judiciary in checking the powers of political leaders. If court orders can be ignored so easily, it sets a dangerous precedent that could weaken the rule of law.
The big question now is whether the courts will intervene again or if Wetang’ula’s decision will stand. The political drama in Parliament is clearly far from over, and the coming weeks will likely see intensified legal fights and heightened political tensions.
