Woman Rep Gitau calls for truce at Nyandarua assembly
A leader from Nyandarua County has condemned the rampant wrangles being witnessed in the local county assembly and called for an end to the same.
Nyandarua Woman Representative Faith Gitau called for a truce among two warring factions at the county assembly.
According to the Woman Rep, chaos at the county assembly has been hampering development efforts.
On Tuesday, drama unfolded during the afternoon session as factions of MCAs allied to besieged Speaker Ndegwa Wahome and those allied to Governor Francis Kimemia engaged in a fist-fight.
The scuffle and war of words, which was preceded by a unanimous approval for the The Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (BBI Bill), ensued when it emerged that the mace was missing, and that the session could not proceed as planned.
While sounding a warning to the two factions, Ms Gitau said the leaders should reconcile or face the wrath of the residents at the ballot.
“Let them reconcile or they will face the wrath of the people at the ballot. We cannot allow people to destroy our county for their own self-interest,” said the lawmaker.
Goons
Speaking after the chaotic Tuesday afternoon session, Mr Kimemia and a section of MCAs allied to him — led by Majority Leader King’ori Wambugu — accused their counterparts and Ms Gitau of hiring goons in a bid to halt the session.
But Ms Gitau, who spoke in Ol Kalou town where she visited hundreds of traders who were affected by the recent demolition of business structures along the Gilgil-Nyahururu railway line, denied the claim of hiring goons to disrupt the assembly sessions and peace in the county.
The lawmaker, who also distributed wheelbarrows, hand-carts (mikokoteni) and other goodies to the affected traders, called on the county government to find a way of helping the affected traders and their families.
The three-hour stand-off at the county assembly on Tuesday, under the watch of security officers and Ol-Kalou Sub-County Police Commander Dahil Abdilahi and County Commissioner Benson Leparmorinjo, saw the MCAs break assembly doors and the safe, in a bid to retrieve the mace, before they conducted the business of the day.
MCAs arrested
Gatimu Ward MCA Kieru Wambui and his Murungaru counterpart Kariuki Muchiri — who are allied to Speaker Wahome — were arrested following the fracas.
Acting Speaker Zachary Njeru, who chaired the session, read a communication from Jubilee Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju directing that Mr Kieru and Mr Muchiri be replaced at the House Business Committee, and their positions refilled by Shamata MCA Reuben Gitau and Githabai Ward MCA Rimui Kaiyani.
The new members were consequently sworn in to take up their new roles before the acting Speaker adjourned the sitting to Thursday afternoon.
Mr Wahome, the embattled Speaker, was on Tuesday morning barred from presiding over the day’s business until a case he filed in a Nakuru court is heard and determined.
Mr Wahome was impeached a fortnight ago during a sitting that saw seven MCAs allied to him suspended from the House by the Jubilee Party, paving the way for his ouster.
The suspended MCAs have since moved to court challenging the matter, with more facing the party’s wrath.
Mr Wahome has blamed his woes on Governor Kimemia, whose performance he has been challenging.
