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The Leadership

Hon. Emmanuel Mukhebi Situma

Hon. Emmanuel Mukhebi Situma- Speaker

 

About the Office of the Speaker

The Constitution provides that there shall be a Speaker for each House who shall be elected by that House in accordance with the Standing Orders.

 

Roles and Functions

The Speaker of the County Assembly shall have the following duties and responsibilities:-

- The Constitution provides that “at every sitting of a House of County Assembly the Speaker presides”

- The Speaker of the County Assembly shall preside over all debates of the County Assembly and enforces the observance of the Constitution, the Standing Orders, relevant statute and Assembly traditions, procedures and practices;

- The Speaker administers the oath of affirmation or allegiance to Members and issues writs for vacant County Assembly seats;

- The Speaker protects the rights of the minority while making sure that the majority have their way;

- Organizing the business of the House as he/she is the Chairman of the House Business Committee;

- Spokesperson of the County Assembly and shall ensure that the dignity of the County Assembly and by extension, Assembly, is upheld and its rights and privileges are not abused;

  • The Speaker is the final authority on all matters touching on the interpretation and application of the practice and procedure of Assembly at all times.

MESSAGE FROM THE SPEAKER

Deputy Speaker

Hon.  Wamalwa  Stephen Wafula -Deputy Speaker

 

Section 178(2) of The Constitution of Kenya, 2012 states that: A sitting of the county assembly shall be presided over by:-

    - The Speaker of the assembly; or

    - In the absence of the speaker, another member of the assembly elected by the assembly.

 Section 106 (1) (b): There shall be a Deputy Speaker for each House of Parliament, who shall be elected by that House in accordance with the Standing Orders, from among the members of that House.

 

Further, the County Government (Amendments) Bill, 2014, proposed to create this office expressly in the Act. At the beginning of each Assembly, the house also elects a member to the position of Deputy Speaker, proceeding in the same manner as for the election of the speaker. The Deputy Speaker carries out the following responsibilities:

    (a) He/she is the chairman of committees when the Speaker chooses not to chair the committee.

    (b) He/she is ordinarily the chairperson of committees of the Whole House and shall preside over committees of the Whole House.

 

He/she deputises the speaker and assists in ensuring the dignity of the Assembly is upheld, its rights and privileges are not abused and generally assists in the interpretation and application of the practices and procedures of parliament at all times.

Hon. Joseph Juma Nyongesa -Leader of Majority

 

Office of the Leader of Majority

The office of the Majority Party Leader (and Deputy Majority Party Leader) is established pursuant Standing Order number 21 (1) the largest Party or Coalition of parties in the County Assembly shall elect two members of the County Assembly belonging to the Party or Coalition of parties to be a Leader of the Majority Party and Deputy Leader of the Majority party or Coalition of Parties.

 

Primary functions of Leader of Majority usually relates to floor duties;

    (1) He is the lead speaker for the majority party during floor debates.

    (2) Plays key role in developing the Assembly calendar.

    (3) He also assists the speaker with Programme development, policy formulation and policy decision through County Assembly Service Board (CASB).

    (4) Leader of Majority is the link between the County Executive and County Assembly.

    (5) He develops the majority caucus agenda with the principal leaders as well as presiding over the majority caucus meetings.

MESSAGE FROM THE LEADER OF MAJORITY

 

Office of the Leader of Minority

Section 10 of The County Government Act, 2012 provides for County Assembly Leaders.

    (1) The Act states that there shall be in each county assembly a Leader of the Minority party; who shall be the leader of the second largest party or coalition of parties in the County Assembly.

    (2) The Minority Leader speaks for the Minority Party and its poli­cies, strives to protect the minority’s rights, organizes and leads criticism of the Majority Party, and devises parliamentary strategies and tactics that can put to best use the abilities of his party to influence legislative outcomes.

    (3) The Minority Leader chairs his party’s Committee Assignment Panel.

 

MESSAGE FROM THE LEADER OF MINORITY

The office of the Majority Party Whip is established pursuant to Standing Order number 21 (b) the largest Party or Coalition of parties in the County Assembly shall elect two members of the County Assembly belonging to the Party or Coalition of parties to be the Whip of the Majority Party and Deputy Whip of the Majority party.

 

Standing Order number 22 (1) The Majority Party Whip or Coalition of parties constituting the Majority Party Coalition of Parties in the Assembly shall elect a member of the Assembly belonging to the Party or Coalition of Parties, who shall be the Whip of the Majority County Assembly Party or Coalition of Parties.

 

Whip of Majority Party or Coalition of Parties shall be responsible for:

    (a) Mobilizing members of the Majority County Assembly Party or Coalition of Parties for the purpose of transacting business in the Assembly.

    (b) The office is also responsible for enforcing party discipline among its Members.

 

Deputy Majority Whip

The office of the Majority Party Whip is established pursuant to Standing Order number 22 (1) (b) a member of the Assembly belonging to the party or Coalition of Parties, who shall be Deputy Whip of the Majority County Assembly Party or Coalition of Parties and who shall be entitled to deputize the Whip of the Majority Party or Coalition of Parties in the event of his/her absence.

The office of the Minority Party Whip is established pursuant to Standing Order 24 (1), The Minority Party or Coalition of parties constituting the minority party or Coalition of parties in the Assembly shall elect a member of the Assembly belonging to the party or coalition of parties who shall be the Whip of the Minority of the County Assembly Party or Coalition of parties.

 

The Whip of the Minority Party or Coalition shall be responsible for:

    (a) Mobilizing members of the Minority County Assembly Party or Coalition of Parties for the purpose of transacting business in the Assembly;

    (b) Any other responsibility that shall be accorded to him or her by these Standing Orders; and

    (c) Any other function that the Assembly may resolve.

 

Deputy Minority Party Whip

A member of the Assembly belonging to the party or coalition of parties, who shall be the Deputy Whip of the Minority County Assembly Party or Coalition of parties and who shall be entitled to deputize the Whip of the Minority party or Coalition of Parties in the event of his/her absence.