EACC summons 13 Bomet MCAs, speaker over assembly chaos

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has summoned the new Bomet County Assembly Speaker Nelson Mutai and Clerk Isaac Kitur over last Friday's chaos at the assembly.

The commission will also be questioning 20 other individuals to establish those behind the chaos and who contravened the leadership and integrity code of conduct.

The individuals who include 13 MCAs, three sergeant-at-arms and four aspirants who contested for the position of the speaker are set to be appear and record statements from next Monday to Wednesday at the commission’s regional offices in Nakuru.

A letter seen by the Star dated August 17, Regional Manager Hassan Khalid on behalf of the commission’s CEO, ordered those named to appear individually for interrogation.

The letter was addressed to the assembly's clerk.

“The commission, pursuant to constitutional and statutory mandate as set out inter allia under Article 252 (1) (a) (d) of the Constitution, section 11 of the ethics and anticorruption commission Act 2011 and section 4 (2) and 42 (10) of leadership and integrity Act 2012 is investigating an incident relating to conduct of members of Bomet County Assembly that occurred on August 14 at the county assembly chambers during the election of the speaker,” read the letter in part.

The clerk has been asked to provide the commission with the personal file of Embomos ward MCA Robert Serbai, Hansard report and video footage of the speaker’s election of the material date including other information relating to the scuffle that ensued.

“Facilitate the officers to come to our offices…our investigators will be available to collect documents, interview and record statements from the mentioned officers,” it further reads.

Those named are the sergeant-at-arms Gideon Terer, Erick Korir and Edward Rop.

The aspirants for the speaker’s position summoned were Cheruiyot Tamogei, Cherotich Clara, Edwin Sitienei and Weldon Chirchir 

The elected MCAs summoned are Wesly Kiprotich (Chepchabas) who was the acting speaker, Josphat Kirui (Ndarawetta)  Maritim Andrew (Nyangores), Leonard Kirui (Siongiroi), Davies Kipkirui (Longisa), Alfred Langat (Singorwet), Robert Rono (Sigor) and Robert Serbai (Embomos).

Others are nominated members Vincent Mutai, Hellen Chepkorir, Ngeny Leonard, Cecilia Mutai and Janet Turgut.

During last Friday’s election, an angry Serbai grabbed the mace and attempted to flee with it immediately after the vote counting ended.

He claimed that members had been bribed and that some external forces had influenced the process.

He was, however, restrained by the sergeant-at-arms and other MCAs joined the fray before being forcefully ejected out of the chambers.

Mutai emerged the winner gaining 27 votes out 35.