Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba has been suspended from Parliament for 20 sitting days after walking out of the chamber in protest during a ministerial response on the gruesome Kware dumpsite killings.
Speaker Moses Wetang’ula ruled that Wamuchomba’s conduct amounted to “contempt in the face of the court, not just contempt of court”, citing Standing Order 107(a), read together with (i)(a) and (iii).
“During the suspension, she will not be allowed to enter the precincts of Parliament or enjoy its facilities, including restaurants, gym, and office,” Wetang’ula said.
The standoff began after Interior Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen responded to Wamuchomba’s questions on the recovery of female bodies from the Embakasi quarry dumpsite.
Wamuchomba had sought a report on the number of female bodies recovered and those who had been positively identified through forensic or DNA analysis.
She also wanted an explanation on whether investigations were still ongoing, given the main suspect had escaped police custody, and what steps the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) had taken to progress the case.
In his reply, Murkomen said that following public reports of mysterious disappearances, the National Police Service had deployed the homicide unit to the site, where 17 packages containing dismembered human remains were retrieved.
Post-mortem examinations and forensic analysis, he said, led to the identification of five victims- Geofrey Okoko, Roseline Ongongo, Wilkister Ojiambo Okoko, Christine Mwende, and Rosemay Ojiambo.
Murkomen further revealed that a multi-agency operation is in place to trace and apprehend the suspect so that he can be charged before the court of law.
The prime suspect in the murders, Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, escaped from Gigiri Police station on August 20 and has yet to be rearrested.
Jumaisi was among 13 suspects who escaped from the police station.
They had cut a wire mesh that forms part of the security to the cells and scaled a perimeter wall, escaping.
Wamuchomba, visibly agitated, accused the CS of failing the victims’ families.
“Mr. Speaker, I refuse to sit in this House and listen to the CS confirm that his Ministry is unable to capture suspects who were previously under their custody," she said.
"It is not right… It has been three months since he disappeared. These are families in pain and grieving,” she said, before walking out.
Wetang’ula, calling her action “total discourtesy”, ordered her back to her seat.
"It is discourtesy to the house for you to ask a question, being prosecuted now with supplementaries, and then walk out. Go back and take your seat," he said.
She, however, refused, prompting the Speaker to drop her question and impose the suspension.
"Members, those kinds of bravado and playing to the gallery do not help at all."
