The Office of the Speaker of Parliament has disclosed that it was never consulted before Attorney General Frank Mbeta took over a judicial review case from private lawyer Bright Theu concerning the controversial establishment of parliamentary joint committees.
The Speaker’s Office said it is aware that the Attorney General assumed control of the matter, but stressed that it was neither approached for its views nor informed before the decision was made.
The revelation exposes a potential rift over the handling of the high-profile case, with the Speaker’s Office distancing itself from the legal position reportedly being advanced by the Attorney General.
According to the Office, its interpretation of the matter differs from Mbeta’s stance.
The Attorney General is said to be arguing that the formation of the parliamentary joint committees was unlawful because it proceeded without the involvement of the President.
The development sets the stage for a legal and political showdown, with Parliament’s leadership and the government’s chief legal adviser appearing to be at odds over the legality of the committees and the constitutional processes surrounding their creation.
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