Drama in Bungoma County Assembly as Jubilee, CORD MCAs clash

There was drama at the Bungoma County Assembly on Wednesday after MCAs allied to Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) and Jubilee Coalition clashed after differences emerged over whom between the two should take the position of  leader of majority in the assembly.

The tussle over the position has been in existence for months, with the issue being complicated by the minimal margin in the number of representative from both sides.

Previously, CORD has been holding the mallet in the House, which has a total of 63 MCAs, when Independent candidate Peter Cherui, who is Kaptama Ward MCA, accorded them his support, placing Jubilee on the minority side with one MCA less.

The tides changed after Cherui shifted his allegiance to Jubilee with the Registrar of Political Parties declaring that Federal Party of Kenya, which had been previously seen as a CORD affiliate, a party in Amani Coalition which is under Jubilee.

Jubilee MCAs then proceeded to pick Henry Nyongesa, Bumula MCA, to be the leader of majority to replace CORD’s Henry Okumu Majimbo, the Khalaba MCA who had held the position for the last two years.

Previously, there had been wrangles between Jubilee Coalition with its members going to court in a bid to ouster Ndivisi MCA John Musakali from the minority leader’s position and replace him with Henry Nyongesa.

Musakali, however, went to court to block his ouster, with Judge Enock Chacha Mwita ordering the coalition to sort out its issues or go to Political Parties Tribunal.

Appearing before the assembly on Wednesday, Henry Nyongesa asked speaker John Makali to accord him a seating space as the leader of the majority in the assembly, thus eliciting sharp criticism from CORD MCAs .

The differences escalated into a shouting match with both sides accusing the other of malice.

The Sergeant at Arms was forced to leave the Assembly Hall with the maze, after which County Assembly Speaker John Makali took off, prompting the session to be adjourned.

The speaker later insisted that the two coalitions should sit and agree which side is the majority as per the communication from the registrar of political parties.

Makali said he has no power to give directives on the matter, noting that there will be no sitting in the assembly until the matter is resolved.

There have been scuffles in various county assemblies with Kisumu and Nakuru on the spot over recent skirmishes.

The divisions at the Nakuru County Assembly emerged after a man, said to be stranger, entered the press gallery prompting a faction, which was opposed to Speaker Susan Kihika, to call for his ejection while the other demanded that he stays.

Similar incidences were witnessed at the Kisumu County Assembly when two factions differed over the removal of Speaker Samuel Ong’ow.