MCAs at the Homa Bay assembly yesterday threw punches when they argued over whether speaker Elizabeth Ayoo should access her office.
Some MCAs blocked the county assembly’s main door to keep the speaker away.
Ayoo arrived at the assembly gate with police at 10.20am. She was armed with an order from the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Kisumu on Tuesday. It said she had the right to return.
Ayoo had been impeached on Thursday last week after MCAs accused her of incompetence and bias.
The drama yesterday began when two factions of MCAs argued at the gate. Some are allied to Kwabwai MCA Richard Ogindo, others back his
Kanyadoto counterpart Walter Muok. Ogindo is the chief whip while Muok is the majority leader.
The two camps had a standoff, forcing Ayoo and police to stay outside the gate for more than 30 minutes before she was allowed in.
Muok’s group had blocked the main door of the assembly premises and tried to stop Ayoo’s entry. Ogindo’s group started pushing Muok’s group away.
The MCAs also exchanged insults in their mother tongue.
On seeing Ayoo at the door, members from Muok’s camp shouted in unison, “Ayoo can’t be allowed in, Ayoo can’t be allowed.”
But Ogindo’s camp responded, “The speaker must enter the assembly by force.”
Glass door broken
The struggle took about another 10 minutes before a group of MCAs and some youths who had escorted Ayoo, forced the door open. When the door was opened, both camps started pushing each other.
The struggle went on until the inner glass door was broken. After that, MCAs started hitting each other.
“I know my rights. If you are tough this is the right time to know a good fighter,” a male MCA shouted.
Ogindo and Muok confronted each other. The battle went on for about five minutes before the MCAs got tired. Police officers kept watch.
Homa Bay DCIO Joseph Tuksho and police boss Sammy Kosgey first left the MCAs to settle their scores. Then they ordered junior officers to lead Ayoo into her office.
The police were acting on the court order, requiring them to ensure Ayoo returns to her office.
The tension was quelled when the speaker entered her office. She did not preside over the assembly morning session, contrary to expectation of many people.
After Ayoo was got into the office, some female MCAs shouted to male MCAs allied to Muok that they have been defeated.
“We’ve won. You couldn’t stop us from making Ayoo access her office,” one shouted.