Speaker set to declare House seats vacant

The Speaker of the National Assembly Kenneth Marende is expected to declare three parliamentary seats vacant any time Friday.

“I will issue writs within the next 24 hours,” said Marende after meeting European Union diplomat who paid him a courtesy call at Parliament.

The seats- Kangema, Kajiado North and Ndhiwa constituencies fell vacant after the deaths of their representatives in Parliament.

Kangema was represented by former environment minister John Michuki, Kajiado North by the late Internal Security Minister Prof George Saitoti while Ndhiwa was led by Saitoti’s assistant Orwa Ojode.

Michuki died of heart failure earlier within the year while Saitoti and Ojode were killed in a helicopter crash alongside four others on 10 June this year.

Marende said that he had already sat with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) which assured him of its preparedness.

Writs are written legal documents which authorise the holding of a general election or by-election by the speaker of Parliament.