Following the news of the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Speaker Moses Wetang’ula adjourned the morning sitting of the National Assembly to 2.30pm where he promised to issue “important communication”.
Raila died on Wednesday in Kerala, India, where he was recuperating after undergoing treatment for an undisclosed condition.
“Honourable Members, welcome to this morning sitting. I have just come from State House where the President assented to eight Bills. It is the highest ever number of Bills assented together, including private members Bills by Owen Baya and others. That is very good,” Mr Wetang’ula said.
“I will invoke my authority under Standing Order Number One and direct as follows, that this sitting of the House this morning is adjourned.”
“We will have a sitting at 2.30pm where the Speaker will give you some important communication. For now, the House stands adjourned,” he ruled.
Mr Wetang’ula asked MPs who had business lined up in the morning Order Paper to bear with the leadership.
“There will be an opportunity to prosecute those businesses later,” he said before the House adjourned at 9.57am.
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Before the House commenced business at 9.32am, MPs from both sides of the political divide congregated in groups and engaged in animated consultations.
They stood in the middle of the debating Chamber as they engaged in discussions until the Speaker arrived in the Chamber.
Less than five MPs were in the opposition benches when the Speaker arrived and took his seat.
A handful of the ruling Kenya Kwanza MPs were seated on the government benches.
When Mr Wetang’ula arrived in the Chamber, the House had no quorum and he directed the Sergeants at Arms to ring the quorum bell for 10 minutes.
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