Elachi now pushing for punishment of ‘rebel’ Jubilee MCAs
Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Beatrice Elachi now wants ‘rebel’ Nairobi Jubilee Party MCAs punished for their behavior during Tuesday’s plenary session.
Elachi has recommended disciplinary action to be taken against the ward representatives, saying that she will forward the names of the MCAs to the party.
DISCIPLINARY ACTION
“It is very unfortunate what we have witnessed in the House. This is setting bad example for Nairobi residents. The actions of Jubilee Party MCAs will be reported to the party for disciplinary action,” Elachi said.
On Tuesday, ward representatives allied to Majority Leader Abdi Guyo disrupted House proceedings by singing, dancing and shouting anti-Elachi slogans for almost an hour, making the assembly business to be conducted under chaotic circumstances.
The MCAs had called for Elachi not to preside over the plenary sitting, citing a court order barring her from conducting any assembly business until her impeachment motion is debated.
They were referring to a court order issued by the High Court on October 25, barring the Speaker, who is the first respondent, from presiding over the sittings of the Nairobi County Assembly and/or its committees until the application is heard and determined in court.
The court order further prevented the Nairobi City Assembly, Nairobi City County Service Board and the clerk of the Nairobi County Jacob Ngwele from bringing or being involved in the bringing of strangers, goons, or persons not allowed by law to be in the house of the county assembly and who may cause the interruption of business in the House.
The agitated members later walked out of the House as the session continued with the other members in support of Elachi.
IMPEACHMENT
Elachi termed actions of the county legislators as “unfortunate” and against an agreement on conduct of members, the Jubilee Party members had agreed in their party meetings, to adhere to and conduct themselves with decorum.
“During our meeting with the party, we agreed that we would all follow the rules and procedures of the House. So it is very sad that members from our majority party Jubilee have given us quorum only to entertain us through songs,” she said.
The MCAs were resuming plenary sessions following a two-week suspension of the sittings by the speaker following chaos that marked her return to office after more than a year out since she was impeached in September 2018.
The assembly is currently divided into two factions, with one side in support of Elachi’s return while the other, allied to Mr Guyo, being against the same.
The latter group had hatched a plot to impeach Elachi for the second time, intimating that they have already garnered 67 signatures for the censure motion, with the same forwarded to Mr Ngwele for verification.
However, the latter dared them to proceed with the same if they have numbers, adding that they will respond by removing Mr Guyo from the leader of majority seat.