Chaos at Nyamira Assembly as MCAs differ on nominee
By Evans Nyakundi, April 14, 2021Nyamira County Assembly was yesterday turned into a battlefield as members exchanged kicks and blows following a disagreement about nominees in the Committee on Appointments report and the confirmation of deputy governor nominee James Gesami.
Some MCAs were also opposed to the process of constituting various House committees.
Trouble started immediately after Speaker Moffat Teya took his seat and ordered the Assembly’s Clerk to read the Order Paper.
But Members of the County Assembly opposed the contents of the Order Paper shouted the Speaker down.
The MCA’s accused him of being used by external forces to divide the Assembly in favour of a politician who had declared his candidature for the seat of governor in the 2022 General Election.
Some members who had been designated to sit at the public gallery jumped over the barrier separating the gallery and the chambers and went to the floor to grab the mace with the intention of stopping the House from transacting its business.
The mace is the symbol of authority in the House and no business can be transacted without it being in its place.
Sergeant-at-Arms orderlies had a hectic time shielding the Speaker from some MCAs who were threatening to manhandle him.
During the altercation, Nyamaiya MCA Raban Masira squared it out with his Rigoma counterpart Benson Sironga as Ekerenyo Ward Rep Thaddeus Nyabaro exchanged blows with Gesima Ward Rep Charles Maroko.
The House turned more chaotic as other MCAs joined in a shouting match and blowing of whistles.
Apart from a disagreement over the deputy governor nominee, the other issue pitting the MCAs is an attempt by the House leadership to present a report of the Assembly’s Committee on Appointments.
The committee wanted to table the name of nominee for the Executive Committee Member for Environment, Water, Mining and Natural Resources Clifford Ogwara, a nomination that some MCAs are opposed to.
A group of 16 representatives have also been complaining over a move by the House Selection Committee to remove them from some key committees of the House.
Addressing journalists in his office following the incident, the Speaker said the fighting was triggered by a disagreement on various matters before the House.
“MCAs are politicians and they are representing their people. When they disagree, it means they are expressing the interest of their people. Let them express themselves as we look for a middle ground,” Teya said.