House chaos as Cord protests being labelled Shabaab sympathisers

What you need to know:

  • Deputy Speaker Dr Joyce Laboso appeared to lose control of the House as debate descended into pandemonium
  • So emotional was the debate that after Millie Odhiambo-Mabona left the House in a huff and the next matter on the agenda was called, there were less than 50 MPs in the chambers

The Opposition Cord coalition reacted with fury Thursday evening after Majority Leader Aden Duale accused them of “speaking the same language as Al-Shabaab” in opposing the deployment of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) in Lamu and asking for their withdrawal from Somalia.

Deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso appeared to lose control of the House as debate descended into pandemonium, with MPs from both sides pointing at each other, and Cord representatives demanding the ejection of Mr Duale for making the statements.

The matter spilled over from the time the Majority Leader explained the deployment of the KDF to Lamu County, which he said was requested by the police and approved by the Cabinet.

Long after the House had moved to another order, the matter was revived when Deputy Minority Leader Jakoyo Midiwo repeated the demand by Cord that the Kenya Army withdraw from Somalia, saying: “We did not send our boys to Kismayu to collect taxes. Bring them back.”

Mr Duale then asserted that because Cord had asked for the withdrawal of the KDF from Somalia, it's leaders were repeating what Al-Shabaab has demanded.

“They are speaking the same language,” said Mr Duale.

It provoked a furious response from the Cord side, who wanted him ordered out of the chambers despite a declaration by Dr Laboso that Mr Duale was out of order.

'WE HAVE A TERRORIST PARTY'
“It is on record that we have a terrorist party. The least you can do is ask him to withdraw,” said Mr Midiwo.

“Don’t be silly,” Mr Duale replied before Dr Laboso stepped in and accused Mr Midiwo of doing the same thing he wanted Mr Duale expelled for doing.

She then ordered that the exchange between members from both sides be expunged from the Hansard, the written records of the House.

Earlier debate was marked by claims by the National Security Committee chairman that Cord were being unpatriotic.

“When they say we should withdraw the army from Somalia and they are also saying that we should not deploy them locally, I think they are saying…would I be in order to declare that Cord is not patriotic? What are they up to?” he said amid a furious response by Cord.

Timothy Bosire (Kitutu Masaba, ODM) was then ordered out for the rest of the day for heckling.

So emotional was the debate that after Millie Odhiambo-Mabona left the House in a huff and the next matter on the agenda was called, there were less than 50 MPs in the chambers and business had to come to an end due to a lack of quorum.

WIDESPREAD ATTACKS

Earlier, Mr Duale had informed the House that the KDF was deployed in Lamu because the attacks there are widespread and characterised by extreme brutality, leading to immense human suffering.

Because of the forested terrain, he said, it has become hard to detect the attackers, necessitating the use of equipment only in the possession of the KDF.

He said the police needed the support of the KDF and had asked for it to contain the emergency “in a very limited form.”

This would be in the use of aircraft, a minimal Special Force unit and the use of night-vision equipment only used by the KDF.

“The Kenya Defence Force has a constitutional obligation to assist and support other authorities in situations of emergency. Other authorities mean the National Police Service and other security agencies,” said Mr Duale.

He said this was in line with the constitutional provisions.

The Majority Leader said the Defence Cabinet Secretary would provide a report to Parliament once the special assistance has been discontinued as per the law.

Parliament will be informed about the number of equipment, the size of the force and the resources used in that minimal operation.

NEED TO DEPLOY KDF

He said the House’s approval would only be sought when there is a need to deploy the KDF in totality rather than having a small force helping the police.

But Nicolas Gumbo (Rarieda, ODM) insisted that the answer was not satisfactory because in his understanding, the deployment was not in accordance with the law.

He said the explanation differed from an earlier commitment that the request for Parliament’s approval would be sought.

“We are not saying that what’s happening should not be done. What we are insisting on is the Constitution must be followed. It is not an emergency,” said Mr Gumbo.

Abdikadir Aden (Balambala, ODM) argued that while the deployment was necessary, it needed to be done within the law, meaning Parliament’s approval must be sought.

“The only time there was an emergency of the magnitude that required the deployment of KDF was Westgate. The Constitution was not followed to the letter in that deployment either,” he said.

Mr Aden said the KDF should have given the House a proper explanation after the deployment at the besieged mall had ended.

Defence Committee chairman Ndung'u Gethenji sprung to Mr Duale’s defence, arguing that it was clear the situation in Lamu was an emergency as the Opposition grumbled loudly.