Elgeyo-Marakwet MCAs on Wednesday threw punches after they disagreed on plans to impeach executives appointed by Governor Alex Tolgos.
The fight followed after a long argument in the chambers over the appointment of an ad-hoc committee to investigate alleged misconduct by Roads executive Kevin Biwott.
Lit as the first to be impeached, he is accused of failing to answer calls from the county assembly members and being arrogant, among other accusations.
“The assembly has been turned into a gangster assembly where decisions are made in bars. The House is held hostage by people who are partisan and are out to frustrate residents of Elgeyo-Marakwet,” nominated MCA Lawi Kibire said.
The assembly is split into two groups; with one faction of 18 members opposed to the governor and 10 are in defence.
Tolgos has claimed that part of the money meant for the Arror and Kimwarer dams scandal had been diverted and was being used to bribe MCAs to sabotage his administration.
Speaker of the assembly Kiplagat Sabulei kept off from the debate in chambers as some MCAs are said to have threatened to impeach him if he intervened.
“The differences at the assembly are so deep that the speaker appears to be held hostage by a section of MCAs who have taken control of all affairs of the assembly,” one MCA said.
Sabulei, who spoke to the Star on phone, denied abandoning assembly affairs. He was away on duty, he said.
The speaker said the ward MCA had the right to carry out their activities the way the deemed fit and those who lose should not seek scapegoats.
Deputy Speaker Christopher Chemosong has been chairing most of the heated debates in the House. He has been accused of leading the faction seeking to frustrate the governor and his executives.
The scuffle led to the ejection of one group, which had opposed what it called the unfair selection of five members in the committee that will probe allegations against Biwott, and possibly recommend his removal.
After the ejection of Kibire and his team, the remaining group selected MCAs Jasline Rutto, Zach Magut, John Yator, Paul Kipyatich and Jonah Tanui to be om the ad-hoc team.
(Edited by R. Wamochie)
