Back-and-forth as Senator Murkomen ordered to remove cap in Senate

Back-and-forth as Senator Murkomen ordered to remove cap in Senate

Senate proceedings were briefly disrupted after a section of members led by Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen walked in wearing caps in breach of rules.

It all started shortly after Mr. Murkomen and other DP Ruto allied Senators walked into the chambers wearing green caps embroidered with “Team Kenya” and a fist.

West Pokot Senator Samuel Poghisio alerted Speaker Kenneth Lusaka about the breach of House rules asking that he be ordered to remove it.

“It is inappropriate to wear caps in the House, it is gross misconduct,” ruled the Speaker.

Senator Murkomen did not take kindly to Mr. Poghisio’s point of order and tried to defend his new look saying that his colleague, Mandera Senator Mohamed Maalim Mohamud also wears a cap although his is appropriate because of his religion.

“Mr. Speaker, you must listen to our side, people convert to different religions. If it is a religious cap, you must first listen to the part of those who are wearing,” said Murkomen as he put his cap back on his head.

This prompted Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula who read out the Speaker’s Rules handbook and later demanded that Murkomen and team remove their caps.

“Mr. Speaker, what I am seeing some Senators wearing certainly does not fall within these descriptions. This is a House of decorum, not a center of activism; this is a House of wise men and women and where the whole country looks at us as trendsetters in decorum and conduct,” said Mr. Wetangula.

“Each one of us has the capacity, ability and will to come here and display feelings that we hold so dear and recklessly. But it is not allowed for anybody to come and adulterate the decorum of this House… If we want to be activists, the streets of Nairobi are open, we can go and walk up and down in Kenyatta Avenue which is called Haki Zetu street where we can shout haki zetu from morning to evening,” he said.

Having heard enough, Speaker Lusaka put an end to the shenanigans.

“It is not in order for us to waste time on matters that are very clearly stated in our Standing Orders and Speakers Rules. What I am seeing are not religious caps, I direct that we remove them so that we make progress on other matters in the House,” Speaker Lusaka ruled and Murkomen and his team obliged.

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ken lusaka senate Moses Wetangula Senator Kipchumba Murkomen DP Ruto Samuel Poghisio

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