MCAs face off  over ‘half loaf’

Over 40 members of the Nairobi County Assembly allied to the Jubilee coalition Wednesday stormed out of sittings for the second day following heated exchanges triggered by unfolding political differences pitting their alliance against Cord.

At one point, bottles of water were thrown across the assembly after Speaker Alex ole Magelo ruled that the names of President Kenyatta and that of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga should not be mentioned in the chamber.

Following the walk-out, the Jubilee MCAs missed a crucial debate on a motion by one of their own, Mlango Kubwa Ward rep Andrew Mbau requiring that all roads and buildings in the city to be marked and painted.

The Cord MCAs were left to discuss and pass the motion which they recommended should be crafted into a Bill.

Tempers flared after two TNA nominated MCAs Abdi Mohamed and Mumo Mate were thrown out by Mr Magelo, triggering the walk-out. Only five Jubilee MCAs were left in the chamber.

Minority leader Abdi Guyo lit more fire when he stood and repeated that the Jubilee Government was not ready to share the government with their Cord counterparts.

LOAVES OF BREAD

Jubilee MCAs who had carried full loaves into the chamber taunted their Cord counterparts that the government was fully theirs.

The Speaker’s efforts  to avoid a recurrence of Tuesday’s  scuffle were foiled after members walked out.

Mr Magelo had sought to change the procedure motion for personal statement requiring MCAs to inform the Speaker of their statement three hours before a plenary session.

He further warned of tough sanctions for those who sought to delay business by objections and statements that did not directly concern the assembly.

However, Mr Guyo stood up to repeat the statement that led to Tuesday’s fist fight stating that he was within his right as the minority leader.

The Jubilee MCAs then rose with the  loaves chanting that Cord leaders should forget about ‘Nusu Mkate’(half a loaf) and instead wait for the 2017 elections.

The Nairobi Assembly is the most evenly split along party lines with Cord only enjoying the majority over Jubilee by  a single member.

Cord has 43 against Jubilee’s 42 elected MCAs.

Majority leader Elias Otieno claimed the Jubilee MCAs were being used by senior politicians to drive a wedge among the Nairobi MCAs.

He claimed that the remarks that sparked the row were meant to ‘provoke’ Cord members.

“We are the majority and we are going to conduct business as usual, with or without Jubilee members,” he said.

At a Press conference after the boycott, Dandora 3 MCA Charles Thuo, speaking together with the MCAs said they supported Governor Evans Kidero and would not allow him to be intimidated by their counterparts.

“We support the governor. We shall work with him as long as he is working with Mr Kenyatta,” said Mr Thuo.