KITUI MCAs on Tuesday engaged in fistfights that disrupted
Governor Julius Malombe's address to the assembly as the ward reps squabbled
over the bona fide majority leader.
The violent confrontation was sparked by a group of MCAs
whose attempt to eject majority leader Harrison Maluki from his official seat
nearly marred the special session at which Malombe hade been invited to give
the annual state of the county address.
The visibly irate MCAs tried to physically get Maluki and
his team of majority leadership out of the special corner in the assembly.
They claimed the Maluki and his team had been replaced in last
Friday election by the new majority leader John Munyoki. They struggle to
install Munyoki on the seat occupied by Maluki.
As the furious group
of MCAs attempted to forcefully eject
Maluki, a table used by the majority leader was overturned, spilling its
contents on the red carpet floor.
The situation almost degenerated into a free-for-all as
another group of MCAs allied to Maluki rushed to his help.
The melee lasted over ten minutes as business in the chamber
came to a standstill to the chagrin of speaker Kevin Katisya and Governor
Malombe
Other invited dignitaries present included Deputy Governor
Augustine Kanani, county commissioner Kipchumba Ruto and county security team
as well as Bonnie Musambi and Moses Banda who work at State House Nairobi.
But as the chaos escalated, the sergeant-at-arms and his
team kept watch on the mace to ensure that it was not taken away by the
wrangling MCAs.
Order was restored when the speaker Katisya ruled the that
neither Maluki nor the purported new majority leader would occupty the
contested seat during the session.
It was as that point that Maluki vacated the contested seat.
The speaker pledged to rule the recognised majority leader during the next
assembly session on Wednesday.
He said he received late on Monday a letter on the change of
majority leader but was yet to consult
with the assembly legal officer on the matter.
The speaker then invited Governor Malombe to make his state of the county address as MCAs and guests followed with undivided attention in silence.
