Warrant of arrest issued for six Muranga MCAs

BY Victor Kinuthia and Dennis Nduhiu

Murang’a County Assembly Majority Leader, Amos Murigi, was Tuesday afternoon arrested and arraigned in court following a fist fight in the County Assembly.

Appearing before Murang’a Chief Magistrate Margaret Wachira, Mr. Murigi was charged with causing disturbance with the court directing he be remanded until Thursday, January 18 when he will take a plea.

The court also issued a warrant of arrest against six MCAs who are accused of leading the fight that occurred as a group of MCAs sought to eject the former House Majority Leader Eric Kamande from office.

The six include; Peter Mburu (Kagunduini) Joyce Wambui (Nominated), Jacinta Ng’ang’a (Township) Habile Chege (Nominated) Samuel Kihurunjo (Gitugi) and Beth Waithira (Nominated).

A group led by Mr. Murigi are said to have stormed the office of the outgoing majority leader in a bid to effect changes in the Assembly leadership, sparking a clash with a group opposed to the changes.

Murigi’s team at first presented a letter to the Deputy Speaker, Samuel Kihurunjo, requesting him to convene a special sitting which would pass changes in the House leadership done by a caucus of MCAs on January 5.

Murigi, who was nominated by the caucus as Majority Leader, was not allowed to take over the office after the former majority leader Eric Kamande together with some MCAs blocked them.

“We are not going to relent until changes in House leaderships are effected and we have presented a letter to the Deputy Speaker and he has to accept it,” added Murigi.

The Kimorori MCA accused the current majority leader of trying to block new changes which were done by majority of MCAs in a meeting held at a Kiambu hotel two weeks ago where the MCAs engaged in fist fight.

On the other hand, the group led by Mr. Kamande accused Murigi’s side of failing to follow the right procedures in trying to effect changes in the Assembly.

Kamande reiterated that he is still the majority leader and no one should try to occupy it without being elected in the Assembly.

“Whatever some of the MCAs are doing here is just drama and they are not going to evict me because I’m still the majority leader,” he said.

Nominated MCA, Stephen Chege, accused Murigi’s group for creating chaos and tension in the Assembly.

Chege alleged that the Deputy Speaker has no authority to convene a special meeting as he is facing a case in court.

“As far as I’m concerned we don’t have a Deputy Speaker, court quashed his election,” alleged Chege.

This was not the first time the Murang’a MCAs are exchanging blows. Two weeks ago the county legislators engaged in a fight during a meeting that was held in a Kiambu hotel on January 5.

During the meeting, some MCAs were injured by goons believed to have hired by other MCAs.

In December 2017, the county lawmakers tried to evict their clerk accusing him of mismanagement of funds and procurement of substandard sport gears.

Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria has condemned the incident saying no changes on leadership will be implemented in the Assembly.

Governor Wa Iria accused some MCAs of trying to paralyse operations in the Assembly claiming that some ward representatives have failed to understand their roles.