Fighting, Chaos Mar Political Parties Bill Debate

Chaos, name calling and violence marred the special sitting of the National Assembly called to consider changes to the political parties amendment bill. 

Members of parliament allied to the UDA party used every trick in the book to stall the processing of the amendments, members voting only on three proposed changes in eight hours. 

Both sides literally fought for an opportunity to sway the contest on the floor of the house

The scenes on Wednesday afternoon at the August house were chaotic, a house of honorable members looking for all the tricks to push their agenda.  Sitting in a special sitting that took special skill to settle scores. 

There was chaos in Kenya’s Parliament on Wednesday afternoon (29 December 2021), as MPs engaged in a fistfight during a debate on the controversial Political Parties (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

The lawmakers were voting on amendments to clause Six by Kandara MP Alice Wahome.

It had been five hours and only two amendments had been processed splitting the house into mainly UDA party supporters vs those allied to President Kenyatta and ODM’s Raila Odinga.

Kandara MP Alice Wahome had moved an amendment to scrap a proposed clause to entrench the management of coalition political parties. And before she could make her case, the contest was on.

“They lost 2013, 2017 they will lose 2022. This bravado will not take you far,” MP Alice Wahome said. 

Leader of Majority Amos Kimunya would rise to oppose Wahome’s proposal, to a choir of disaffection.

A house in chaos, forcing the committee session chair Luanda MP Chris Omulele to rise to the occasion. 

His threats to take action against the now rowdy members fell on unbothered members. When he put the question of Wahome’s proposed amendment, it wasn’t clear what side had the numbers forcing the house to move into voting. 

This time, Garissa town mp Aden Duale had challenged an earlier formula to have members vote by registering their names. 

Chairman Omulele agreed that members vote by signing against a list of their names. This was just a few minutes before it turned physical.

A house in disarray left Omulele with few options, forcing him to suspend the sitting for 15 minutes. 

And when it resumed, Minority leader John Mbadi was chased from the house for five days. 

He was accused of harming Sigowet Soin MP Bernard Kipsengeret.

“I have been attacked in this house by the master of violence in this house. Now I can’t see. I can’t vote Mr Speaker,” Bernard Kipserenget, the MP Sigowet Soin said after the incident. 

And so the house proceeded to vote on Wahome’s proposal and defeated the proposal with 158 votes against 134 votes.

Earlier Tigania West MP John Mutunga succeeded in pushing an amendment to require political parties to declare their dominant colour before registration. He garnered 123 votes against 118 forcing the movers of the bill their first and only defeat of the day. 

Garissa town MP Aden Duale’s proposal to delete a clause that requires political parties to declare their ideology before registration lost with 150 votes against 136. 

Several proposed amendments by MPs John Kiarie, Kimani Ichungwa and Owen Baya were dropped by the speaker on grounds they sought to alter the main structure of the bill yet they had not been taken through public participation.

The house is yet to conclude processing most of the amendments having only considered three clauses out of 27. This may force speaker Justin Muturi to call another special sitting in the coming days.

The business of the house was paralysed for almost five minutes before order was restored.

Sigowet-Soin MP Kipsengeret Koros suffered a cut in the face during the melee.

“We cannot accept to be injured in a House of Parliament. This can’t happen Mr Speaker,” said a visibly injured Koros.

Session chair, Luanda MP Chris Omulele suspended the sitting for 15 minutes following the chaos which paralysed the afternoon sitting.

A little over a week ago, there were similar scenes on the floor of Ghana’s Parliament over a controversial electronic transaction levy.

Source: the-star.co.ke