Speaker Wetang’ula’s Decision: Ignorance or Abuse of Power?

By Robert Mutasi

Moses Wetang'ula, the Speaker of the National Assembly, is utilizing his position to favor one political group over another, which could undermine public trust in the government.

This is evident in his insistence that Kenya first is the majority despite legal objections.

But ultimately, Wetang'ula's actions do not show that he does not understand the law; rather, they appear to be a calculated attempt to increase his power while underestimating the court's jurisdiction.

All Kenyan leaders must uphold the Constitution, not just when it serves their own interests, if Kenyan democracy is to thrive. Wetang'ula recently rendered a ruling that contradicts the Supreme Court's ruling.

This calls into question the fairness of Kenya's democratic system and the way in which the law is applied.

The court declared that this is not permitted, but Wetang'ula maintains that the group identifying as Kenya First remains the majority.

According to the court's ruling, Wetang'ula had no authority to assert that any group constituted a majority, thus invalidating his claim.

This incident brings to light a more significant problem: how crucial it is to abide by the law.

In matters of law, the court is the supreme authority, and its rulings are obeyed by Parliament as well.

The court's authority is weakened when leaders like the Wetang'ula disregard court rulings, implying that they might be disregarded when it suits politics.

There are questions about Kenya's commitment to upholding the law if those in positions of authority can disregard court rulings without suffering any consequences.

Rather than accept the court's ruling, Wetang'ula maintained his position and claimed that Kenya still held the upper hand.

This raises the question of whether he ignored the court's ruling on purpose or simply was unaware of it.

It appears likely that Wetang'ula knew what he was doing and decided to put political gains ahead of following the law, especially considering his extensive experience as a politician and attorney.