Trouble looms for Murang'a MCAs after salary delay rampage

Murang’a MCAs are facing charges of destruction of property and assault, a day after they went on the rampage and destroyed furniture at the assembly to protest delayed salaries and allowances.

Property of unknown value was Tuesday afternoon destroyed after chaos erupted in the assembly asMCAs planned to table a motion for the ouster of two county assembly service board members.

The two, Simon Wamwea (Ng’araria) and his Kimorori Wempa counterpart Elizabeth Wambui, presented a court order stopping the ouster process before the motion could be tabled, prompting the movers to go on the rampage.

The MCAs wanted Wamwea and Wambui replaced with Caroline Wairimu (Kigumo) and John Munyua (Gaichanjiru).

MCAs accused the two of failing to fight for their interests.

They also complained over delayed salaries and allowances.

The clerk and speaker's offices and the reception area sustained most damages as furniture was destroyed and files ransacked.

Come Wednesday morning, tension was rife at the assembly as DCI detectives arrived and started documenting the damage.

The officers also recorded statements from both MCAs and staff.

County Police Commander Kainga Mathiu said charges will be preferred against the MCAs who perpetrated the destruction.

“One of my officers was also assaulted during the fracas which is against the law,” he said.

Muguru Ward MCA, Moses Muchiri, said they peacefully waited for several hours for the motion to be tabled and the chaos erupted only after the court orders were presented and police officers called to the assembly.

"In the confusion, I sustained injuries. Our only intention was to pass the motion and we had already elected the members who would replace the two,” Muchiri said.

He said they will not resume sessions until the issue is successfully resolved and their preferred candidates installed on the board.

The assembly clerk Kuria Thuita confirmed that they are currently processing salaries and allowances for January.

He said delays were occassioned by late disbursement of sharable revenue by the National Treasury to county governments, and acknolwdged that the MCAs' frustrations are understandable.

Thuita, however, noted that MCAs did not follow the required procedure to remove the two members from the service board.