Kisumu MCAs gang up against Oloo

Kisumu MCAs have threatened to boycott sittings to protest the leadership of Speaker Onyango Oloo.

The 44 members led by majority leader Ken Onyango accused Mr Oloo of failing to unite the assembly three months after Opposition leader Raila Odinga last year told him to either put the House in order or ship out.

DIVISION

Mr Odinga had given the Speaker one year to unite the House said to be split in two camps — one allied to him and the other is said to lean towards the majority leader.

Last year, sergeant-at-arms George Amayo was forced to shoot in the air to scare away MCAs who confronted him outside the House accusing him of taking away the mace. This was after chaos erupted in the assembly when some MCAs resolved not to work with Speaker Oloo.

On Wednesday, Mr Onyango accused the Speaker of “thriving in the disorder” within the House.

The threat by the MCAs to boycott sittings come in the wake of another scuffle witnessed in the assembly on Tuesday afternoon following the ouster of budget committee chairman.

Kolwa East MCA Stephen Owiti, who was ousted as the budget chairman in a chaotic afternoon session, threatened to sue the Speaker for “unprocedurally” replacing him with Central Kisumu MCA Judith Ogaga.

The ward representatives opposed to the swearing in of Ms Ogaga fought during the session that saw a member attempt to run away with the mace before he was stopped by the sergeant-at-arms.

Trouble started when the group led by majority leader questioned the process that led to the removal of Mr Owiti. They accused the Speaker of dictating operations in the assembly.

The sessions were suspended for about 15 minutes before Ms Ogada was sworn in under tight security.

Mr Onyango noted that the process of removing the budget chairman was not done in accordance with the law.

“For as long as this House is going to be governed by unprocedural rules we are going to boycott it as members of ODM and make it difficult for business to be transacted because we do not want Kisumu assembly to go the direction others have gone where acrimony is the order of the day,” said Mr Onyango.

He went on: “This is why we are planning to take up this matter with the party leadership.”

But Speaker Oloo denied claims that he was not following House procedures.

“The assembly leadership received communication that the budget committee had decided to change their leadership because they lacked confidence in Owiti,” said Mr Oloo.

For his part, Mr Owiti termed the move a witch-hunt aimed at silencing him following his hard stand against impunity.