Wetang’ula in fight to save self against contempt of court over House leadership ruling

The National Assembly and House Speaker, the Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Moses Wetang’ula have asked the High Court to strike out an application in which a group of petitioners want the Speaker cited for the contempt of court in relation to his February 12, 2025 ruling on House Leadership.

In a Preliminary Objection filed at the High Court, Speaker Wetang’ula, and the National Assembly argue that the contempt of court application in relation to the said ruling was defective and in breach of their right to fair hearing.

During a mention of the case today High Court Judges Justices Jairus Ngaah, John Chigiti and Lawrence Mugambi directed that the respondents should file their responses to the said preliminary objection within 10 days.

The Speaker and the National Assembly were also directed to file their responses to the contempt of court application within the same timeframe.

The National Assembly and the Speaker through their legal teams argue that the contempt of court proceedings are “an attempt to litigate a new cause of action” and therefore asked the bench to strike it out.

“There is no dispositive order that was made by this Honourable Court capable of being violated by the 3rd and 4th respondents to constitute the contempt proceedings,” argue the Speaker and the National Assembly.

They added: “There is no order of the Court that required the 3rd and 4th respondents to do or refrain from doing anything capable of being enforced through contempt proceedings.”

The contempt of court application was filed by 12 parties including Kenneth Njagi, Meshack Suba Churchill and Caroline Mogaka, against the afromentioned Speaker’s ruling.

In his Ruling, the Speaker Wetang’ula declared Kenya Kwanza Coalition as the Majority Party and Azimio la Umoja One Kenya as the Minority Party in the House.

The said ruling came after the High Court faulted a verdict by Speaker Wetang’ula dating back to August 2022, when he declared Kenya Kwanza as the Majority Party and Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance as the Minority Party.

Both coalitions and their respective leadership offices are listed as respondents in the application.

The High Court reconvenes on July 17, 2025 for hearing of the matter.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly has since appealed the High Court verdict on the House Leadership matter before the Court of Appeal.