NAIROBI, KENYA – Saboti Member of Parliament Caleb Amisi has publicly accused National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula of deliberately ignoring him during parliamentary proceedings, claiming the bias stems from a political grudge dating back to 2017. The allegations, made during an interview on Monday, October 27, 2025, have reignited debate on the impartiality of the Speaker's office and underscore the simmering tensions between the ruling Kenya Kwanza Alliance and the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition.

Amisi, a member of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), asserted that Speaker Wetang'ula, who is also the party leader for Ford Kenya, “pretends not to see” him when he rises to contribute to motions. “He looks at me over his spectacles every time I raise my hand, pretending not to see me,” Amisi stated. “So I can never get an opportunity to speak in Parliament for as long as Wetang’ula is there.”

Roots of the Rivalry

The first-term legislator traced the origin of the animosity to a contentious 2017 political rally in Kitale under the then-National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition. At the time, both Wetang'ula's Ford Kenya and Amisi's ODM were partners in NASA. Amisi recounted that during the rally, there was an attempt to sideline him in favour of a Ford Kenya candidate, reflecting the intense local rivalry in their shared political backyard of Trans Nzoia County.

“Wetang'ula told Raila there is no ODM in Trans Nzoia, that NASA would support Ford Kenya,” Amisi claimed. He described how he defied the organisers and stood before the main dais, an act that he says energised the crowd, forcing the organisers to grant him a chance to speak. “The crowd went wild... Wetang'ula had to stop and let me speak for the rally to continue. To date, he has never forgiven me,” Amisi alleged.

Questions of Parliamentary Procedure and Impartiality

The Speaker of the National Assembly is constitutionally mandated to act as an impartial arbiter of debate. The process of being chosen to speak, often referred to as “catching the Speaker’s eye,” is governed by the House Standing Orders. While the Speaker has discretion, this authority is expected to be exercised fairly to facilitate robust debate from all sides of the political divide. Under Standing Order 34, the Speaker is responsible for ensuring the House is properly constituted with a quorum of at least 50 members to conduct business, but the rules on recognizing members for debate are less rigidly defined, often relying on precedent and fairness.

Amisi's claims add to a pattern of accusations from the Azimio coalition regarding Speaker Wetang'ula's conduct. In February 2025, Azimio MPs called for Wetang'ula to step down, citing a conflict of interest due to his dual role as Speaker and leader of Ford Kenya, a key partner in the Kenya Kwanza government. This followed a High Court ruling that found his dual roles unconstitutional, a decision Wetang'ula has defied. The opposition has consistently voiced dissatisfaction with his rulings, particularly the one that declared Kenya Kwanza the majority party in the House.

A History of Political Friction

The conflict between Amisi and Wetang'ula is emblematic of the broader political landscape in Western Kenya, where Wetang'ula and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi have long positioned themselves as the region's kingpins. Younger, assertive leaders like Amisi have often challenged this established order. Amisi has been a vocal critic of Wetang'ula's leadership in the past, including faulting his handling of the contentious Finance Bill 2024 protests.

As of the publication of this article on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, the Office of the Speaker of the National Assembly had not issued a formal response to Amisi's latest allegations. The claims, however, place a renewed focus on the Speaker's role in ensuring that parliamentary debate is inclusive and that the rights of minority party members to contribute to national discourse are protected. The ongoing friction serves as a critical test for Kenya’s democratic institutions and the principle of impartiality in the legislature.