Nyandarua Senator John Methu has responded to the incident where he briefly occupied the seat reserved for the Deputy President during a parliamentary swearing-in ceremony.
The episode took place on July 28, 2026, as members of Parliament and senators from the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) accompanied newly elected Ol Kalou MP Sammy Douglas Kamau Ngotho for his oath-taking. Since senators are not part of the National Assembly, they observed the proceedings from the Speaker’s Gallery.
Seating Mix-up During Ceremony
As the event commenced, Methu took a seat designated exclusively for the Deputy President. National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula promptly instructed him to vacate the spot, emphasizing it was reserved for the country’s second-in-command. The Speaker also criticized the sergeant-at-arms for not ensuring Methu was seated appropriately before the ceremony.
Methu Clarifies the Incident
In a statement shared on social media later the same day, Methu described the incident as an innocent mistake. He explained that fellow legislators encouraged him to sit in the prominent seat, unaware of its special designation. Methu said he only realized the seat’s significance after the Speaker’s intervention and complied immediately.
“I’ve seen some people blowing out of proportion an innocent mistake. When we were ushered to the Speaker’s Gallery, my colleagues said, ‘SG, kalia hio kiti kubwa,’ not knowing it was reserved for the Deputy President. I was later guided by the Speaker and promptly vacated,” Methu stated.
Criticism of Speaker’s Handling
Speaking later in the Senate, Methu expressed surprise at Speaker Wetang’ula’s approach to the situation. He argued that, given Wetang’ula’s prior experience as a senator, he should have recognized the DCP delegation accompanying the MP-elect. Methu insisted there was no intent to violate parliamentary protocol and felt the issue was exaggerated despite his immediate compliance.
