A walkout by Azimio la Umoja Senators marked Wednesday morning’s Senate session after Speaker Amason Kingi rejected a motion aimed at censuring Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria for his attacks on the media.
Senators raised concerns about the presence of CS Kuria in the House while a motion seeking to grill him over his offensive remarks was pending. They feared that he would exploit the opportunity to absolve himself of the accusations made against him.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna sought clarification on why CS Kuria was allowed to address the House when there was an active motion filed on June 19 to question him about his explicit statements.
“I am concerned that the CS will use his privilege of appearing before the Senate to vindicate himself against the allegations in that motion,” expressed Senator Sifuna.
“We, on the minority side, object to his presence in this House and request guidance on whether his presence today during the discussion of this motion is prejudicial to the same motion.”
Supporting this stance, Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua, a former journalist, expressed personal anguish over the attacks, emphasizing that it was inappropriate for a Cabinet Secretary facing a motion of censure to address the House on matters related to his portfolio.
“For the dignity of this House, it would be wrong for a Minister, a public servant who is facing a motion of censure, to get the privilege of addressing this honorable House on any matter concerning his docket,” Wambua stated.
“To allow a Cabinet Secretary to utilize the floor of this House to clear his name from accusations of abusing and insulting media houses is painful for me.”
In response, Speaker Kingi explained that the motion referred to by Senator Sifuna did not follow the proper procedure for filing a motion in the House, thus breaching the Standing Orders.
According to Kingi, “Before moving a motion, a Senator must file a notice of motion and submit a copy of the proposed motion to the clerk. The Speaker, guided by Standing Order 63, assesses the motion’s admissibility.”
The Speaker clarified that he had not received any motion from Senator Sifuna and ruled that the Senator was out of order. He further allowed CS Kuria to address the House.
After Speaker Kingi’s ruling, the Azimio-aligned Senators staged a walkout, leading to a temporary halt in the proceedings due to the lack of quorum.
CS Kuria faced backlash after his offensive remarks against the Nation Media Group (NMG) on Sunday, where he labeled the media house’s journalists as “prostitutes.” The outburst was perceived as a response to an exposé published by NMG, alleging an oil scandal within his ministry.
Kenyans expressed anger at Kuria’s comments, considering them inappropriate and immature. The Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) and the Kenya Editors’ Guild condemned the CS’s conduct as a state official.
KUJ stated that Kuria had become “a symbol of national shame” and criticized his reactions to media reports, deeming them embarrassing for the country. The Kenya Editors’ Guild demanded an unconditional apology from the Trade CS and assurance from the government that his sentiments do not represent official policy.
