Drama as Senate fails to communicate Azimio changes

The Senate’s Thursday afternoon plenary sitting descended into chaos as Kenya Kwanza and Azimio lawmakers engaged in a war of words over the House's failure to communicate leadership changes on the minority side.

At the heart of the drama was Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, who was accused of frustrating the communication of the changes and meddling with the minority leadership.

The Senate Business committee failed to include communication of the Azimio leadership changes in its order paper.

Rising on a point of order, minority leader Stewart Madzayo asked why the communication was not part of the day’s business yet the House had accepted changes on the majority side.

“We are missing our leadership as we don’t have a whip or the deputy. It was incumbent upon you to communicate the changes. We want to know why you cannot communicate the changes,” said Mr Madzayo.

Shouting matches followed as Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’ accused majority leader Aaron Cheruiyot of turning Deputy Speaker Kathuri Murungi, who was presiding over the House business, into his “puppet”.

He urged Senator Murungi not to get dragged into political party intrigues and ensure fidelity to the Constitution and Standing Orders.

“Your role is to be an umpire, not a player. You cannot put on the uniform of one side and purport to decide for the other side on how to conduct their game,” said Mr Kajwang’.

“I urge you to allow the minority to be led by those they want, same as the majority side. There is no senator who is more special than the other,” he added.

Azimio’s changes

On Wednesday, Mr Raila Odinga, leader of the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Coalition, announced changes in the Senate minority leadership, removing Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo (Jubilee Party) from the minority whip position.

Mr Odinga announced that Ms Dullo’s deputy, Narok Senator Ledama ole Kina, would succeed her while Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna would take the senate deputy minority whip position.

Senator Madzayo remained the senate minority leader while his Kitui counterpart Enoch Wambua retained the deputy position.

Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale blamed Senator Madzayo for the confusion in the House, saying he was invited to the House Business Committee meeting on Wednesday but delayed submitting the list containing the changes.

“I was expecting the chair would make a communication as to why the Senate business committee has not sat to process their list if they have delivered it,” said Mr Khalwale.

Nonetheless, the minority leader insisted that he submitted all that was needed to Speaker Kingi and was therefore not liable for any delays in communicating the changes.

“I would be the last person to mislead the House. I want to say very clearly that I made the communication before the speaker [sic],” said Mr Madzayo.

However, the deputy speaker insisted he had not received any communication from Mr Kingi so his hands were tied.

“Let us wait for the speaker to come and give the communication. The communication is with Speaker Kingi. Maybe he is drafting the communication wherever he is,” he said.

Chaos continues

But boos and shouting matches rent the air as the deputy speaker carried on with other House business.

The legislators shouted: “Shame! Kingi must go!”

Senator Sifuna said: “Nobody is going to scare us. You are not going to threaten me. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, shenanigans are employed but we are going to change our leadership because it is our right.”

Mr Ole Kina accused Mr Murungi of dictatorially gagging the minority side in order to protect the minority side.

“We don’t want to impute improper motives on you. We are concerned that you are exhibiting the character of a prefect. Democracy has been sunk into a six feet hole. The dictatorship being orchestrated in this House is ludicrous,” he said.

But Nandi Senator Samson Cheragei defended the deputy speaker against the accusations.

“Mr Speaker you cannot just be a conveyor belt. What the minority side is inviting you to do is become a conveyor belt,” he said.

The shouting continued despite interventions, resulting in Senators Ole Kina and Madzayo being thrown out of the plenary session until the next sitting of the House next Tuesday.

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