We want a speaker who is not a serving MCA elected, Youths from Kisumu say.

Building Bridges Initiative Youth Congress National Chairman Okoth Opande{C} address the press in Kisumu today where they  have said that they want a Speaker of the County Assembly of Kisumu who is not a serving MCA to be elected this Friday.

By Dickson Odhiambo

January 21, 2020.

We want a speaker who is not a serving MCA elected , Youths from Kisumu say.

A SECTION of the youth from Kisumu says the want a person not serving as a member of the County Assembly be elected as the next Speaker on Friday this week.

Under the banner of the Building Bridges Initiative Youth Congress, the youth led by the Congress National Chairman Okoth Opande, the Secretary Kennedy Oliech Jakobura and the Kisumu County Women Representative for the Congress Roseline Abungu said the next Speaker of the County Assembly of Kisumu should be a neutral person who is ready to unite the Assembly.

Addressing the press in Kisumu today, the youth have urged the North Kisumu Ward Representative Elisha Jack Oraro who has been acting as the Speaker not to resign and contest the position of the substantive Speaker, adding that he should consider finishing his five year term as an Elected Member of the county Assembly of Kisumu.

“Mr Oraro should serve the interest of the people of North Kisumu Ward who elected him a member of the county assembly of Kisumu and should not lose such a chance in wanting to resign and contest the seat of the Speaker of County Assembly of Kisumu,” they said.

They further request the Orange Democratic Movement {ODM} Party to rally behind a candidate who will be able to united the already politically divided County Assembly of Kisumu.

They further say the residents of North Kisumu Ward are not ready for a by-election should their MCA opt to resign and contest the speaker’s position.

They argue that the major focus for the ODM party is now how to popularize the Building Bridges Initiative and not a by-election occasioned by the resignation of a Member of the County Assembly of Kisumu.

Last Week on Thursday January 16, Clerk to the County Assembly of Kisumu advertised a vacancy in the office of the Speaker of the County Assembly of Kisumu.

The advert read in part “Notice is given that the office of Speaker of the County Assembly of Kisumu has fallen vacant; consequently, Pursuant to Article 178 {1} of the constitution of the Republic of Kenya, Section 21 of the Election Act 2011 and Standing Order number 4 of the County Assembly of Kisumu Standing orders, a special Sitting of the county assembly of Kisumu for the purpose of electing the Speaker has been convened on January 24, 2020 at 9:30 am in the Assembly Chamber , Assembly Building,” 

The advert further require persons who are eligible for the selection as the Speaker of the County Assembly in terms of Section 21{1} of the Election Act and Standing Order number 4 and who are contesting for this position are advised to collect nomination papers from the office of the Clerk and return the completed application forms, Nomination papers as well as other relevant documents by next Tuesday January 21.

So far two Lawyers have declared their interests to vie for the position of the Speaker County Assembly of Kisumu. They Kenneth Amondi and Jared Sala.

North Ward Kisumu Ward MCA Elisha Jack Oraro who has acted as the Speaker of the County Assembly has not resigned as required by law as an elected ward representative so as to vie for the position.

An official of IEBC in Kisumu West Constituency who is not authorized to speak to the press indeed confirmed that they  have not received resignation letter from the MCA of North Kisumu ward relinquishing his position.

ENDS: