Kisumu MCAs exchange blows over removal of Speaker Onyango Oloo

There was fracas at Kisumu County Assembly on Tuesday evening after two warring factions of MCAs clashed over the legibility of the county speaker.

A section of the county legislators wanted the incumbent Speaker Onyango Oloo to step aside pending the hearing and determination of the Ksh.2.1 billion Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA) mall scandal while Oloo’s allies seemed keen to block the agenda.

In the chambers, Members of County Assembly were scampering to safety while some of their colleagues exchanged blows. Outside, youth who had camped there for over six hours chanted, awaiting results from the legislative house.

The fist fight ensued shortly after the deputy speaker had walked in, with the opposing faction in a calculated manner, ejecting him and perceived supporters of the incumbent speaker from the chambers.

The sergeants at arms, walked out in solidarity with their colleague who was slapped by one of the MCAs.

And 15 minutes after the House was called to order, Nyalenda MCA Elija Oraro, was sworn in.

Twenty-nine MCAs had signed a petition that wanted incumbent speaker Onyango Oloo to step aside, hinging their argument on the August ruling by justice Mumbi Ngugi, that compelled public officers to step aside in case of corruption allegations.

Oloo was arraigned in Nairobi on Monday alongside 10 other suspects, accused in the multi-billion LBDA mall case that saw about Ksh.2.1 billion misappropriated. He was, however, released on a Ksh.6 million bond.

The fracas comes barely two years after ODM leader Raila Odinga visited the assembly, and urged the members to observe peace while transacting House business.

Oloo is expected to appear at the chambers on Wednesday to moderate the Appropriation Bill 2019 debate, in a complex show of might that may once again plunge the House into chaos.