Chaos as ward bosses fight over Speaker

Kiambu County representatives on Wednesday physically fought each other in a chaotic session convened to discuss the fate of the assembly speaker.

In scenes reminiscent of the era of councillors in defunct councils, the ward bosses stood on the clerks table, throwing punches at each other and chanting “speaker must go” slogans, following a ruling on the motion of no confidence in the assembly Speaker Nick Ndichu.

The leaders want Mr Ndichu kicked out.

No powers

The members even refused to allow the County Assembly’s sergeant at arms to remove the mace from the assembly, which signifies a sitting has ended.

Hell broke loose after Deputy Speaker Antony Macharia, who was presiding over the session, ruled that the assembly had no powers to debate the motion on removal of the speaker.

Mr Macharia said the assembly was not legally constituted to debate the motion since it needed 75 per cent of the elected and nominated members in the house and at that time, nominated members were not present.

“This house cannot achieve the three-quarter threshold required to vote for the removal of the speaker,” he ruled.

The leaders took the fight outside the House where the Limuru ward representative Joseph Murugami was allegedly slapped by the Kiambu ward representative James Njenga.

Riabai ward representative Martin Wachira said the county would not move on without a speaker and a budget, which was rejected by Governor William Kabogo.

“Kiambu will not be led by one person only,” said the county representative.