National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has dismissed a request by Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro to reconvene Parliament during recess for a special sitting to discuss the rising cost of fuel.

Speaking in the National Assembly on Tuesday, May 26 during the afternoon session, Wetang’ula said the request did not follow the procedures outlined in the House Standing Orders, noting that applications for special sittings must be channelled through party or coalition leadership.

“Standing Order 29 requires any member desirous of convening a special sitting of the House to engage the leadership of their party or coalition to submit a request for the consideration of the Speaker,” Wetang’ula told the House.

The Speaker also criticised the manner in which the request was handled, saying the matter was made public before formally reaching his office.

“Notably, the request went to the media houses before it reached the Speaker. I found that strange because communication between members and the Speaker ought to be privileged and can go to the media only after the Speaker has received the communication,” he said.

Wetang’ula explained that the timing of the request also made it impractical since the House was already scheduled to resume its normal sittings under the approved parliamentary calendar.

“In this regard, accepting the member’s unprocedural request would have led to his proposed special sitting being held yesterday or today, a day on which the House was scheduled to resume its sittings as per the approved calendar, which rendered it moot,” he added.

Nyoro had sought the emergency sitting amid mounting public concern over high fuel prices and a nationwide transport strike. The Kiharu lawmaker proposed amendments aimed at reducing pump prices, including the removal of VAT on petroleum products, reduction of fuel levies and increased subsidies through the Fuel Stabilisation Fund.

However, the proposals faced opposition from government officials and some lawmakers, who argued that reducing the levies would negatively affect road projects and destabilise fuel pricing mechanisms.

Wetang’ula urged leaders to approach the matter collectively instead of politicising the issue.

“It is my view that the issue of rising fuel costs may only be addressed through concerted, objective and cross-cutting efforts across all players, including the national government, the legislature and the private sector. Isolated and subjective utterances are unhelpful at this time and only serve to politicise a matter that is of critical concern to the welfare of all Kenyans,” he said.