Senate team to decide Sonko fate over scuffle

Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko could be banned from attending a committee sitting after he was involved in a scuffle with a guest invited by the Senate team.

The senator insulted Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero leading to physical confrontation during a Senate committee meeting on Wednesday.

The Senate County Public Accounts and Investments Committee chaired by Kisumu Senator Anyang’ Nyong’o is planning an in-depth investigation on the matter next week.

Although members have said they will follow the Standing Orders in looking at the scuffle, some said their colleague’s actions should not be treated lightly.

They said as the aggressor he should not be spared punishment as outlined in the Standing Orders.   

For committee sittings, the Orders outline stringent measures for disorderly conduct including being banned from attending the sitting for three days or could be stopped from attending sessions for a maximum of 28 sittings. 

“The Speaker or the Chairperson of Committees shall order any Senator whose conduct is grossly disorderly to withdraw immediately from the precincts of the Parliament on the second or subsequent occasion during the same session, for a maximum of three sitting days,” says the Standing Order 110.

Mr Sonko, who appeared as a friend to the committee as he is not a member on Wednesday, will wait for a decision of Prof Nyong’o led team to know if he would be allowed to attend the next session when the governor will be appearing.

Most of the committee members were not happy with Mr Sonko’s actions. They said his behaviour may make other governors shy away from appearing before the committee that has been looking into audit reports belonging to counties. 

“The committee will look at this matter and report to the House. This is a serious matter. We expect the Chairman to raise the matter in the House and a decision will be made,” Nyamira Senator Kennedy Mong’are, a member of the committee, told the Sunday Nation.

West-Pokot Senator John Lonyangapuo, also the committee vice-chairman, said the matter would be handled appropriately but said the senator had genuine concerns that would be considered.

HAD GENUINE CONCERNS

“We will look at this matter exhaustively. This is a committee matter but we will make a decision on what happened soon. The senator had genuine concerns and the committee was willing to listen to him. We understand his anger. He feels he has been side-lined in the running of the county yet he is a fully-elected leader,” said Prof Lonyangapuo.

The members also said they might consider proposing further changes to the Standing Orders to ensure that friends of the committees do not disrupt sessions as happened on Wednesday.

“We will have to look at the Standing Orders. We will have to consider the privileges given to the so-called friends of the committee or other people who attend committee sittings,” added Mr Mong’are, who was also verbally insulted by Mr Sonko on the same day.

When he appeared, Mr Sonko said he had a right to participate in the sittings as the Senator of Nairobi County. He said no one could stop him from putting Dr Kidero to task.

Normally, the committee allows senators of respective counties appearing before it to attend the sittings although they are not entitled to a vote.

The senator engaged in a verbal exchange that turned into a physical confrontation with the governor who had come to respond to audit queries raised in the Auditor-General report for 2013/14 financial year. 

Dr Kidero has threatened to sue Mr Sonko if he does not apologise for the insults.

The governor, although still willing to re-appear before the committee also questioned the failure by Prof Nyong’o to rein in on the senator who he said was drunk.