Embattled East African Legislative Assembly Speaker Margaret Nantogo Zziwa on Thursday declared she was still in office.

Speaking a day after a majority member of the regional Assembly endorsed a motion barring her from exercise duties of the Speaker’s office, Dr Zziwa, a Ugandan, said the procedure used to arrive at the decision was an illegality.

“I am here as the Speaker of EALA until otherwise as shall be guided by the relevant authorities. Whatever is being done is an illegality, although they may have members, it is an illegality,” she said.

She spoke at the House Committee on Legal Rules and Privileges that commenced sittings to discuss the motion of her removal.

The committee has 21 days to come up with a verdict, during which, the Speaker has been asked to stay away from office.

READ: EALA MPs review rules in move against Zziwa

The regional Assembly is currently holding its third session sittings at County Hall, Nairobi. The meeting began on November 17.

The Speaker is accused of mismanagement of the affairs of the regional House and abuse of office.

The motion seeking her removal has been pending since March and was formally tabled and discussed on Wednesday in a dramatic sitting that saw disgruntled members force the Assembly Clerk chair a session.

Lack of quorum

All this happened as the Speaker was seated in her office at County Hall. According to Dr Zziwa, she was waiting to preside over the afternoon session after adjourning the morning session due to lack of quorum.

“I was waiting for the Speaker’s procession and when the clock hit 2.30pm, I walked out to the corridor only to see the door being locked,” she said.

Members had carried on with the afternoon session without the Speaker, with the newly elected chair, Mr Chris Opoka-Okumu also from Uganda, chairing it as temporary Speaker.

Kenyan MP Peter Mathuki moved the motion which was seconded by Tanzania’s Abdullah Mwinyi.

Ms Zziwa on Thursday gave a detailed response to the accusations facing her, as she disapproved the decision to kick her out of office.

“If the majority wants to have it, let it have it in the right way and within our rules. The Speaker’s office is a very important office and should not be dealt with flippantly. They want to change the rules to find an easy way of removing the Speaker from office within 24 hours like a chicken thief. We are making rules for posterity and not for Margaret Zziwa,” she said.

She could not, however, confirm whether she will appear before the committee if required to.

The Speaker blamed her woes on politics amongst members states, peer rivalry and “housekeeping” issues like trips and per diem allowances.

She also claimed some leaders of organs of the East African Community have also played a role in her alleged ouster, accusing the Secretary General of playing a big role in the dispute.

READ: Paralysis at EALA hurts regional legislative agenda

“There has been a lot of intimidation that even people have stopped coming to the Speaker’s office,” she said.

She said her efforts to reconcile the House have all been futile and even attempted to bring in mediators, among them former Kenyan Speaker Kenneth Marende.

She stated that she would not leave office as demanded by EALA MPs.

“I am not going to resign because they demand that I do, if the people of Uganda feel I should resign their voice will come and that voice if it comes, I know how it shall come,” she said.

“I didn’t come here in my own accord, I was elected by the people of Uganda, I carry with me the mandate and mantle of the people of Uganda, so I cannot resign and go back to tell them that no, they don’t want me. “I am duty bound to preserve the dignity of the Speaker’s office,” she said.