DCP-allied MPs with newly-sworn-in Ol Kalou MP Sammy Ngotho in the National Assembly, June 28, 2026. /PARLIAMENT
The National Assembly on Tuesday afternoon witnessed a brief moment of drama after DCP-allied MPs demanded special recognition, in apparent breach of parliamentary Standing Orders.
Clad in green suits, the party’s colours, the MPs wanted the special recognition as they welcomed the party’s first elected member to the House, Sammy Ngotho, who had just been sworn in.
The drama began when Deputy Leader of the Majority Party Owen Baya stood to table papers before the House.
Baya was barely a minute into laying the documents when the background noise grew too loud to ignore, prompting Speaker Moses Wetang’ula to intervene and call members to order.
“Order members,” he said. “You can still exhibit your exuberance in low tones.”
Despite the Speaker’s directive, the noise persisted, with Kipipiri MP Wanjiku Muhia leading the fray of DCP-allied MPs in low but audible conversations.
“Wanjiku Muhia, you are behaving like a head girl of a primary school,” Baya said, adding that he was tabling a very important legal notice from the office of the Prime CS.
Wetang’ula intervened again, this time rising to his feet.
“Order. Hon Wanjiku Muhia, to begin with you are out of order, even when I called you to sit down you remained standing. Order! I have always told you, in a House of Parliament, there is gander and banter of debate. Look up the dictionary what those words mean,” Wetang’ula said.
The Speaker’s calm but stern warning for MPs to maintain decorum during the session appeared not to have been taken with the seriousness it deserved.
Kajiado North MP Onesmus Ngogoyo Nguro rose on a point of order and requested that the DCP battalion be given special recognition, starting with its chairperson, Nyandarua Senator John Methu.
“Mr Speaker, I rise under Standing Order number 1 as chair of Parliamentary Service Commission, which you head Mr Speaker. There are members of the Senate which are present; I would indulge you Mr Speaker that you recognise them led by the Hon Methu,” he said.
Wetang’ula dismissed the point of order.
“Take your seat, you are totally out of order. Go on, Owen,” he ruled.
Earlier, the swearing-in ceremony was momentarily halted after DCP-affiliated MPs erupted into cheers as the newly elected legislator entered the chamber accompanied by Muhia and Roysambu MP Augustine Mwafrika.
The legislators began celebrating even before Ngotho had taken the oath of office, prompting Wetang’ula to restore order.
“Order, Honourable Members. You know that when you are swearing in your colleague, it is done in absolute silence. You can celebrate thereafter, and the celebration will be in the garden out there, not on the floor of the House,” Wetang’ula ruled before proceeding with the ceremony.
Once calm was restored, Ngotho took the oath of office, signed the official register and was presented with parliamentary documents, including a copy of the Constitution of Kenya.
Wetang’ula declined to censure the DCP-allied MPs for donning the party colours in the House, saying a precedent had already been set during the swearing-in of Kiambaa MP Njuguna Kawanjiku.
He said during the ocaasion, UDA MPs led by John Kiarie of Dagoretti South wore the party colours to the House.
However, the Speaker clarified that party colours would only be allowed on such special occasions and would not be accepted as part of the official dress code in the National Assembly.
