Uproar in Embu assembly as MCA urges colleagues to remove their bras

A male MCA caused a stir at the Embu County Assembly after he suggested that his female counterparts remove their bras to show solidarity in marking the breast cancer awareness campaign.

Runyenjes Member of County Assembly Steve Simba said women had no business declaring that they were in unity with the rest of the world “without showing proof” that they indeed didn’t have bras.

The remark on Thursday evening caused shock and disbelief in the assembly with furious female MCAs telling him to “act like a married man.”

Mr Simba had stood to seek the indulgence of Temporary Speaker Ngari Makenge by making a ruling on how women ought to mark it to set an example to the people they represented.

The MCA, who is in his late 20s, suggested that the Serjeant-at-Arms ought to have checked if the female MCAs had complied with the directive before setting foot into the county assembly chambers.

Makima MCA Penina Mutua said female MCAs had their own ways of marking the occasion and that all female MCAs were in support of the cancer awareness campaign.

Mr Simba however interrupted Ms Mutua saying she could not be trusted with her words because she had not complied with the “no bra” call.

The youthful MCA said every female MCA purporting to support the fight against breast cancer should first confirm that they were wearing no brassieres.

“Is the member in order to mislead this House that they have joined the rest of the women in the world to celebrate yet she has not complied? Unless she confirms that she has complied she cannot purport to be in support,” said Mr Simba.

SO EXCITED

But an incensed Ms Mutua said she could not understand why he was so excited about women’s breasts yet he recently got married and ought to have had enough of them.

“I don’t know what is wrong with you yet you only got married the other day. I believed he had matured but up to now, there are still signs of him being young. We were not being checked here.

“Furthermore, the demonstration or confirmation would not have been carried out in this House. I advise the MCA to behave, we are mothers, we have respect and deserve dignity,” said the Gender committee chair.

Health Committee Chairperson Agatha Muthoni criticised Mr Simba, saying he was making a mockery of a very serious issue.

Kyeni South MCA Salesio Kimaru said residents of his ward had suffered a great deal due to the disease.

He said there was need to deal firmly with non-communicable diseases across the country.

Assembly Majority Leader Andrew Musakwa urged Mr Simba to elaborate to the assembly what women were not supposed to wear and why, saying he did not have information to that effect.

He said he needed to spread the word to his Mwea Ward residents if there was medical proof that some undergarments were known to cause cancer.