• Woman Rep asks politicians to treat leaders and civil servants with respect in compliance with the law.
• Says it is disheartening to see MPs hurling insults at each other during funeral services.
Trans Nzoia Woman Rep Janet Nangabo has asked fellow politicians to maintain high standards of behaviour by treating leaders and civil servants with respect in compliance with the law.
The legislator expressed shock at the " war” waged against top civil servants by politicians at funerals.
"It is disheartening to see Members of Parliament hurling insults at each other during funeral services. Civil servants shouldn't be victims of bullying by the political class. We are showing our children bad manners," she said.
"Whatever has happened here, something has gone seriously wrong and we must move fast to tame this bad manneris by the political class".
The MP spoke on Saturday in Birunda village in Trans Nzoia West subcounty during the burial of Margaret Walela and her son Fredrick Siundu Junior who perished in an accident in Kakamega early this month.
Walela, who is the wife of Narok OCPD Fredrick Siundu, was a National Youth Service director.
Nangabo asked politicians to restrain themselves from attacking public servants.
The legislator said no single department can function well when both the political and civil service leadership are in conflict as witnessed when Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa threatened and scolded Trans Nzoia county commissioner Sam Ojwang.
The administrator is allegedly supporting former Rift Valley regional coordinator George Natembeya for the Trans Nzoia gubernatorial seat.
" I want to warn you Mr Ojwang to stop supporting former RC George Natembeya for the governorship of Trans Nzoia . I will have you sacked next time I see you escorting him during public rallies and funerals," Wamalwa said while addressing mourners.
The sentiments did not go down well with other political leaders present who told off the MP for engaging in a war with civil servants in the county.
Kinyoro MCA Lawrence Mogusu said Wamalwa's attack on the county commissioner only contributes to worsen the conflict and damaging the effectiveness of public servants .
"This behaviour brings risks when politicians point accusing fingers at civil servants , causing fear through the culture of coaxing people to vote along their interests. I call upon politicians to maintain respect for others if they want to be respected, he said.
Saboti MP Caleb Amisi said tensions between politicians and senior officials are not new.
He said his Kiminini counterpart, who is also Ford Kenya secretary general, has been having endless wars with Natembeya since the later expressed interest to succeed Trans Nzoia Governor Patrick Khaemba.
Wamalwa had demanded that Natembeya is either sacked or transferred but the administrator survived.
Wamalwa believed Natembeya was using government machinery to campaign. But Natembeya stayed put until he hanged up his boots last week, Amisi said.
Reached for a comment, commissioner Ojwang dismissed Wamalwa's allegations and termed the attack against civil servants as unwarranted.
He told the MP to always be truthful whenever he rises up to address the people especially during funerals.
"My friend Dr Chris, stop fueling lies each time you rise to speak during burials. The other day you lied to church faithfuls in Sirende that I had chosen to support you, today you are repeating another lie,"he said.
Trans Nzoia county assembly speaker Joshua werunga, who is also the county Democratic Action Party of Kenya chairman, said Wamalwa's attack on top civil servants was unfortunate.
He said Wamalwas is known for nothing apart from causing tensions especially when he notices that civil servants are in attendance during burials and church functions.
"Therefore it is not surprising that he today attacked the county commissioner whom he has been fighting to remove from this county", he said.
Werunga expressed concern over the continued war waged against civil servants by politicians, saying time had come for the National Cohesion and Integration Commission and other investigative agencies to probe the politicians.
He said it was wrong for politicians to continue frustrating and bullying public servants during their course of duty.
Sirende MCA Alfred Weswa asked Interior CS Fred Matiang'i to intervene in the matter to deter the politicians from bullying public servants.
But Ford Kenya nominated MCA Rogers Barasa came to the defense of Wamalwa, saying no formal complaint about the alleged bullying of top civil servants had been made and told off those pointing fingers at Wamalwa.
"We are strongly rejecting these wild claims made against the Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa for threatening top civil servants in this county," he said.
"But where there are concerns, we shouldn't be seen rushing to condemn everyone who doesn't subscribe to our political inclinations".
Edited by Henry Makori