Mumo Matemu wants MPs disciplined
Dagoretti North MP Simba Arati at the Nairobi Hospital on December 20, 2014 after his thumb was allegedly bitten by Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri during the scuffle that took place in parliament on December 18, 2014. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- He warned that those who engaged in physical fights like finger biting and wrestling and in using inappropriate language risked losing their seats if the commission presents a water-tight case to the committee.
- The commission is also exploring possibilities of prosecuting members whose actions bordered on crime, and this would involve forwarding the names to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Keriako Tobiko.
- During the debate on the amendments on Thursday, Dagoretti North MP Simba Arati claimed his thumb was bitten by Bahati MP Kimani Ngujiri.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission chairman Mumo Matemu will go ahead and demand disciplinary action against politicians who engaged in a scuffle in Parliament last Thursday during the debate of the Security (Amendment) Bill 2014.
On Sunday Mr Matemu told the Nation the commission will petition the National Assembly’s Powers and Privileges Committee that Speaker Justin Muturi chairs to take action against the MPs, saying, they breached Chapter Six of the Constitution.
He warned that those who engaged in physical fights like finger biting and wrestling and in using inappropriate language risked losing their seats if the commission presents a water-tight case to the committee.
“It will be in our submission that the threshold in terms of behaviour among State officers is high to reflects the responsibilities bestowed upon these people,” Mr Matemu said.
He said the commission had started investigations and would present its findings to the Speaker.
“We must verify all accusations and counter-accusations before we can seek specific sanctions against individuals,” he said.
The commission is also exploring possibilities of prosecuting members whose actions bordered on crime, and this would involve forwarding the names to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Keriako Tobiko.
“There is a line that has been crossed by them. Their privileges notwithstanding, these are State officers, who were misbehaving in the full glare of cameras.
THUMB WAS BITTEN
“This was supposed to be debating, not a fighting contest. With the new Constitution, the integrity of State officers is supposed to be of high standard,” Mr Matemu said.
During the debate on the amendments on Thursday, Dagoretti North MP Simba Arati claimed his thumb was bitten by Bahati MP Kimani Ngujiri.
Others to be investigated include Suba MP John Mbadi and Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria.
