Tension was high on Tuesday at the Nairobi county assembly following the expected return of Speaker Beatrice Elachi.
It was believed Elachi would return to the house as she had expressed her willingness to work with the MCAs.
However, Deputy Speaker John Kamangu led the plenary session with no sighting of Elachi around City Hall.
Last month, the Employment and Labour Relations court ruled in her favour, quashing a decision by the county assembly to impeach her.
The court declared the assembly had no powers or jurisdiction to impeach Elachi without following due process.
The court ruled that her salary be backdated to the last month she received payment.
However, the 122 ward reps and the house leadership have maintained Elachi will never be their Speaker.
The MCAs said they would appeal as the court cannot force her on them.
During impeachment proceedings last Septemberr, 103 MCAs voted to kick out Elachi.
Early on Tuesday, a group of unknown persons gathered at the entrance to the assembly, forcing increased security.
It was not clear what the group was up as they refused to speak to the Star.
Police officers armed with tear gas canisters and guns and city askaris patrolled outside the county assembly.
Journalists accredited to City Hall who attempted to access the premises met closed doors as they were blocked from accessing the chambers.
Two journalists who were already inside were ordered to leave without explanation.
A male radio journalist was whisked away from a committee room by the sergeant-at-arms and shown the door.
Security officers at the entrance to the county assembly said they were under instructions not to allow journalists in until the plenary session starting at 2:30pm.
The reporters wanted to cover the county assembly Finance, Budget and Appropriations committee which was meeting non-state actors.
The media invitation had been sent out in the morning by committee chairman Robert Mbatia.
Acting Speaker Chege Mwaura said he was not aware journalists were locked out of the assembly.
“I am not aware of such a thing and I do not know who gave such an order. I will get to the bottom of the matter,” he said.
It was a mystery who gave the orders to lock out journalists from accessing the assembly despite accreditation.
The assembly was resuming for its normal sittings after a month's break .
