• Arivitsa on Tuesday last week denounced Chege, saying she did not recognise him as Speaker.
• The move angered fellow MCAs who were attending a County Assembly Forum in Kisumu.
Image: MAUREEN KINYANJUI
A Nairobi nominated MCA has found herself in hot water after denouncing Speaker Chege Mwaura.
The Ngara MCA was elected acting Speaker after MCAs impeached Beatrice Elachi last year. Elachi moved to court to halt the impeachment. The case is due for hearing on Friday.
Arivitsa on Tuesday last week denounced Chege, saying she did not recognise him as Speaker. The move angered fellow MCAs who were attending a County Assembly Forum in Kisumu.
Majority leader Abdi Guyo said Arivitsa has constantly brought shame to the assembly and that her conduct was wanting.
“We cannot have members embarrassing the county assembly in public. This is a powerful house which ought to be respected,” Guyo sad.
He asked that Arivitsa's conduct be taken up by the Powers and Privileges Committee for investigations.
“I want to refresh her memory because on September 25, 2018, the House elected Mwaura as the Speaker and that he is the only one we recognise. Unless Arivitsa has her own speaker whom we are not aware of,” Guyo said.
Arivitsa was nominated to the assembly by ODM.
Minority leader Elias Otieno said Arivitsa's conduct was an embarrassment to the Nasa coalition. He said he could not defend her.
“We cannot wash our dirty linen in public. How can one travel all the way to Kisumu to denounce our speaker? Elias said.
Arivitsa's nominated colleague Juliet Ndegwa apologised to the speaker, saying they respected the seat. Juliet said the apology was on behalf of all women members.
“It is a shame that one of us can stand in front of more than 4,000 delegates and disrespect the speaker. When you disrespect the speaker you disrespect the assembly as well,” Mlango Kubwa MCA Silvyia Mutheu said.
Arivitsa denied denouncing the speaker. Mwaura directed the matter be handled by the Powers and Privileges Committee.
"The clerk will set dates next week when Arivitsa will appear before the committee. Legislators who witnessed the occurrence will also appear before the committee,” Mwaura said.
It will not be the first time MCAs are discussing Arivitsa's conduct. She has previously been condemned by the members for disrespecting the Majority leader
Arivitsa was also among four female MCAs who were suspended last month for their antics that brought disrepute to the House in September last year when the ward reps attempted to forcefully eject Elachi from her office.
The Powers and Privileges Committee recommended punitive action against the MCAs in a report that was passed by the assembly.
Mary Njambi, Laura Mwende and Nancy Muthami, all nominated members, were suspended for 10 days while Arivitsa got 21 days for unethical conduct.
Arivitsa stormed the chambers shouting after her name was proposed by Minority Whip Peter Imwatok as the Nasa candidate for the speaker's seat.
"Who mentioned my name? Everyone knows I'm for speaker Beatrice Elachi. Who is playing with my name, who is playing with my name," Arivitsa said.
She proceeded and sat down on the floor of the chambers rolling and shouting before being whisked away by the Sergeant-at-arms.
Deputy Speaker John Kamangu ordered that her conduct be probed by the Powers and Privelges Committee.
Edited by Peter Obuya