Speaker Onyango Oloo Claims he Was Dismissed Unlawfully

The embattled Kisumu Speaker Onyango Oloo has termed his recent removal from office a contradiction to the law and vowed to battle the Members of County Assembly (MCA) pushing for his ouster in the courts.

Oloo accused the MCAs of acting contrary to the County Government Act and alleged that his removal was being orchestrated by “a faction against serious oversight at the Assembly.”

He alluded to a section of the MCA’s “going to bed” with the executive at the expense of roles that they ought to play and in total disregard for the law.

“Does it not only fly in the face of logic but also a damning contradiction for the MCAs to disregard a court order but purports to preside over the making of legislation that is a fundamental function for the Assembly?,” posed Oloo.

The embattled Speaker had obtained a court order quashing move by the MCAs to ouster him, pending the hearing of the case, but the Ward reps still barred him from accessing the Assembly.

Speaking in Kisumu on Tuesday, Oloo claimed that if successful, any plot to depose him would be a sad indictment that the Assembly had deserted its role and was in alliance with the executive arm of the county government.

He added: “There must be a clear separation and at no single time must the Assembly act as an appendage to the executive.”

Kisumu North Ward MCA, George Jack Oraro who was installed as speaker by the Assembly following Oloo’s removal is in office illegally and any document he appends his signature on is liable to litigation, according to Oloo.

He further points out that the Assembly regulations provide that only the Chair of House Business Committees or the Deputy Speaker can serve in an acting capacity in the absence of the Speaker.

He also denied that the drive to kick him out was linked to graft allegations in the construction of the Lake Basin Development Authority mall in Kisumu, claiming he was a target long before the case commenced.

This happens even as opinion is divided among the local residents with some calling on the Ward reps to emulate the example of the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga to work as a team, while others want them recalled for failing to deliver.

“If Raila and Uhuru can bury the hatchet for the sake of unity and development of this nation, why not the MCAs?,” posed Abubakar Adhiambo, the director of Balozi, a local civil rights non-governmental organization.

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