Senate wants Sonko to apologise to Kidero over scuffle
The Senate Business Committee has accused Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko of insulting Governor Evans Kidero and told him to apologise.
The committee investigated the matter after the county boss made a formal complaint. It recommended that action be taken against Mr Sonko.
The lawmakers want Mr Sonko to apologise to the Senate and the offensive words expunged from the Hansard record of the June 15 proceedings.
THIEF AND MURDERER
The committee cited a section where the senator said Mr Kidero was a thief and a murderer. It said Mr Sonko did not substantiate the claims.
Senators said whereas there was a scuffle between the two, there was no evidence to show they fought.
The governor accused the senator of being disrespectful to him and devolved unit officials who accompanied him to the County Public Accounts and Investment Committee.
In a June 17 letter to Senate speaker Ekwe Ethuro, Mr Kidero sought assurance that public officers who appeared before committees would be protected from physical and verbal abuse.
He accused Mr Sonko of making defamatory statements that touched on his integrity and conduct.
Mr Sonko in a letter to the Senate, denied the claims and urged the committee to dismiss the complaints, saying he did not act in a demeaning manner.
WATER OR ALCOHOL?
He said the bottle he had contained flavoured water and not alcohol as claimed by Mr Kidero. The governor said Mr Sonko was drinking from a bottle brought to the meeting.
Mr Kidero said the senator’s behaviour during the meeting was consistent with that of an intoxicated person.
The committee, whose membership includes Mr Ethuro, said claims of drunkenness could not be substantiated because no tests were done on the liquid.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission also wrote to the speaker raising concerns about the conduct of the governor and Mr Sonko.
