NASA MPs Backtrack on Threat to Boycott First Parliament Sitting

National Super Alliance (NASA) Members have rescinded their earlier decision to boycott the first sitting of parliament on Thursday convened by President Uhuru.

Addressing the press in Lavington Nairobi, the legislators led by NASA co-principal and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula said that the MPs will attend the swearing in ceremony as agreed in a parliamentary group meeting on Wednesday attended by Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka.

“We had earlier promised to tell Kenyans about the attendance of our lawmakers in the sitting sessions tomorrow in the two houses of Parliament and we have made a unanimous decision that our members will attend the swearing in ceremony tomorrow,” Wetangula said.

Wetangula further revealed that individual parties under the NASA coalition agreed to bring synergy, cohesion and unity of purpose in the execution of duties in Parliament.

“We have agreed to speak in one voice and most probably at the end of next week, we will have a retreat so that we can discuss NASA’s leadership in Parliament, committees and their membership and how our members are going to conduct their affairs,” Wetangula said.

“We have advised our members to have fidelity to the NASA coalition and temptations like crossing to the other side of the floor and supporting their cause are not ideas that we are encouraging because we can lobby for development without supporting the government.”

Nasa allied MPs had earlier indicated they would skip the swearing in ceremony until the presidential petition challenging the re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta is determined by the Supreme Court.

The MPs had questioned President Uhuru's decision to convene Parliament, while a case seeking to overturn his re-election was pending.