• She condemned Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Beatrice Elachi and Kitsuru MCA Alvin Palala for making fun of a tragic situation that had befallen a fellow woman and one of their colleagues.
• Elachi declared her seat vacant after the house adopted a report of the select committee on powers and privileges into allegations of absenteeism from plenary sitting by members.
Nominated Senator Millicent Omanga has come out to defend Nairobi MCA Habiba Hussein who on Tuesday lost her seat for failing to attend plenary sittings for two years.
She condemned Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Beatrice Elachi and Kitsuru MCA Alvin Palala for making fun of a tragic situation that had befallen a fellow woman and one of their colleagues.
"As a woman, I do not understand how inhuman, selfish and insensitive some people can get, just to earn some cheap political mileage out of a tragedy. To attack a woman, for simply being woman, is not only unacceptable but almost Satanic," Omanga said in a statement
The nominated Senator said that Habiba had been ailing and has been in and out of hospital after the loss of her baby.
She explained that the young MCA had a challenging and complicated pregnancy, but on November 21, 2018, delivered a baby girl Shadia, through a Cesarean procedure.
"The baby was born with heart complications that are suspected to have arisen from the treatment the mother was undergoing during the pregnancy. Since Habiba could not undergo intense scanning that involved radiology during the pregnancy, she was put under medication for ulcers for most of the pregnancy duration, while that was not what she was suffering from," Omanga explained.
Unfortunately, the baby's condition deteriorated due to a blocked A-V valve, and passed away a few hours after birth, on November 21, 2018
"Nothing is as devastating to any mother as the loss of a child, and the death of Baby Shadia only aggravated the illness of Hon. Habiba," Omanga said.
After the loss of her baby, Habiba has been admitted to hospital severally, with the first time being barely four months after delivery.
At this juncture, it is said the ward rep underwent surgery to remove her gallbladder and fibroids.
According to the Senator, Habiba has been in hospital as recent as last month undergoing treatment and surgeries
"It, therefore, breaks my heart, as a mother and a woman, when people choose to politicize the pain and agony that Hon. Habiba has undergone in the last two years, simply because they have been implicated in stealing bursary funds meant for poor and orphaned children," Omanga stated.
The Senator further expressed her disappointment to Speaker Elachi by allowing such a reckless and irresponsible statement to be made on the floor of the House, without a bother to demand for authentication of the wild claims that were made.
Elachi declared her seat vacant after the house adopted a report of the select committee on powers and privileges into allegations of absenteeism from plenary sitting by members.
"To me, on this particular issue, she (Elachi ) comes off as the classic example of women being the worst enemies of their fellow women, and she owed the women of Kenya an apology. This culture of attacking women is not only barbaric but unacceptable in the 21st Century," Omanga said.
In addition, Omanga demanded an unconditional apology from the Kitisuru MCA Alvin Palala, and his associates for degrading, disrespecting and demeaning women, especially at their most painful and vulnerable time.
She explained the least Habiba deserved was support and sympathy as she recovers from the painful loss of her child and while undergoing treatment.
Omanga also urged all leaders and Kenyans to desist from the despicable trend of diverting attention from the real issues by dragging innocent women into their woes.
Habiba's Doctors
Omanga revealed that Habiba had been in and out of the hospital for 17 months under the care the following Doctors:
Dr. Sequiera Evan Gynaecologist (Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi)
Dr. Nathan Gatheru Thagana Gyaenogolost (Nairobi Hospital)
Dr. Zipporah Gatheru (a paediatrician who took care of the baby after delivery)
Dr. Naomi Gachara (baby Shadia's cardiologist before she died)
Dr Mahesh Chudasama (Mombasa Hospital),
Dr. Swabra Swaleh (Premier Hospital, Nyali)