NAIROBI, Kenya, June 9 – Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has castigated Azimio La Umoja Coalition Members of Parliament for the chaos and physical confrontation that resulted to the attack on Nominated legislator Sabina Chege.
Gachagua urged MPs to conduct House business in a dignified manner emphasizing that political battle should be settled politically through debates and talks.
“Why are you beating women and we stopped beating women even those who we have paid dowry for. When you fight women physically and you are man its embarrassing and you are cowards,” he stated.
“Fight with Sabina Chege politically. Let Sabina and the other fight on who is the legitimate party leader. If you send people to beat her does that make you a party leader?”
The Deputy President urged MPs to conduct House business in a dignified manner and avoid physical confrontations.
“Parliament is a place for talking but if now its about violence go to North Rift and help us. Brain and mouth is what is required in the National Assembly. Just talk and say what you want to say,” Gachagua stated.
“This Azimio people are desperate and they are living in denial. They had system and deep state and they don’t believe we defeated them,” he added.
Chege on Thursday injured in chaos that rocked National Assembly plenary sitting.
Fight unfolded when National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula made a ruling retaining Chege as the deputy minority whip.
St Johns Ambulance first responders were quickly called in to attend to the injured Chege after she was allegedly hit by a bottle on the wrist by a fellow female lawmaker.
Chege was seen quickly leaving the precincts of Parliament escorted by her aids after receiving first aid.
The ruling on her retainment had irked Azimio La Umoja One Kenya MPs who had accused Speaker Wetangula of bias.
Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi had written a letter to the Speaker communicating the replacement of Chege with Embakasi West MP David Mwenje.
A pandemonium sitting was witnessed in the National Assembly forcing seven MPs to be suspended following the chaos that rocked the plenary sitting.
Wetangula suspended the seven who are accused of causing mayhem during his communication to the House.
The Speaker was forced to suspend the sitting for fifteen minutes to contain the situation.
When the house resumed its sittings, MPs Millie Odhiambo (Suba South), Rosa Buyu (Kisumu), Chege and TJ Kajwang (Ruaraka) were kicked out for a period of two weeks after the speaker invoked the standing orders.
Fatuma Muyanzi (Malindi), and Catherine Omanyo (Busia) were barred from the house sittings for a period of five days while and Joyce Kamene was ordered out for a period two sittings.
“’I am saddened at what happened this afternoon, I have consistently refrained myself from invoking standing orders relating to the discipline of the house,” Wetangula said.
“The said members among other things defied a ruling of the speaker, made disruptive utterances, used violence against a member of the house and acted in a manner to the serious determent of the dignity of the house,” he ruled amid boos from MPs.
Irked by the action taken by the National Assembly Speaker, Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi threatened that they will submit a motion of no confidence against the speaker accusing him of being biased.
“Things cannot continue in this manner in this house anymore, and we have decided to bring a motion of impeachment against the person of Moses Wetangula as the speaker, and we expect him to prioritize that motion,”said Wandayi.
The Deputy Minority Leader Robert Mbui accused Speaker Wetangula of acting under the whims of the majority coalition.
“The main issue we have a problem with is that the speaker wants the majority to dictate who will lead the minority, we have made a decision who we want to lead us, it’s not logical and it’s not moral, if I was Sabina I would have resigned, we won’t allow the majority to continue controlling us,” said the deputy majority leader.
In his ruling over the issue, Speaker Wetangula indicated that he cannot effect the changes by the Azimio Coalition Parliamentary Group meeting given conservatory orders given on petition filed in Kiambu Court barring the changes.
“I have ruled that you have procedurally followed every step, and I have no difficulty with your decision to remove your deputy whip, but there is a court order that strangely your party and coalition is not party to, I would advise that you seek to be enjoined,” Wetangula said.
“I am confronted by a court order that specifically cited both speaker and the house as parties to a judicial process that seems to challenge an administrative process,” he added.
Wetangula ruled that the letter by Minority Leader seeking to have Chege replaced by Embakasi West MP David Mwenje will not take effect until the conservatory orders have been set aside.
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