A civil society organisation has moved to the High Court seeking to bar National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and Senate Speaker Amason Kingi from taking part in partisan political campaigns while still holding their constitutional offices.
The petition, filed at the Milimani Law Courts by Vocal Africa through lawyer Ian Mutiso Mbotela, argues that the two Speakers have breached the Constitution by using the authority, prestige and influence of their offices to campaign for President William Ruto’s re-election and promote the Kenya Kwanza coalition ahead of the 2027 General Election.
According to the petition, Wetang’ula attended a series of political events between June and July, including a rally in Likoni, Mombasa County, where he allegedly urged supporters to back the Kenya Kwanza administration. The petition also cites his appearance at a public function at Emusire High School in Emuhaya Constituency, where he reportedly encouraged residents to register as voters and support Ruto’s re-election, as well as a July 3 rally at Silverline Grounds in Eldoret marking the launch of the “Tutam” campaign, where he allegedly declared the start of Kenya Kwanza’s nationwide campaigns.
Kingi is similarly accused of participating in political mobilisation meetings organised by the United Democratic Alliance, including a gathering at Burhani Grounds in Mombasa, where he allegedly endorsed grassroots mobilisation for the ruling coalition. The petitioner claims he continued attending political meetings across the Coast region through June and July in support of Ruto’s second-term bid.
Vocal Africa contends that while the Speakers are entitled to their personal political views, they cannot use the authority attached to their offices to engage in partisan activities. The petition states that the Constitution created a Parliament meant to stand beside the Executive and not behind it, and argues that the Speakers’ conduct compromises Parliament’s institutional independence and creates a conflict with its constitutional mandate to oversee the Executive.
The petitioners clarified that the case is not intended to restrict the Speakers’ political rights but to protect the integrity of Parliament as an institution, framing it as a constitutional question over whether sitting Speakers can engage in partisan campaigns without violating their office.
The petition seeks declarations that the Speakers’ conduct violates Articles 10, 73, 75, 94, 95, 96 and 232 of the Constitution, along with the Leadership and Integrity Act, the Public Officer Ethics Act, the Election Offences Act and the Election Campaign Financing Act. It also seeks permanent orders barring the two from leading, organising, addressing or endorsing partisan campaigns while in office, and from using parliamentary resources, security, transport or staff for political mobilisation.
Additionally, the petitioners want the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate the alleged misconduct and report within 60 days, while the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has been asked to examine whether the Speakers’ conduct violates electoral laws.
