Day of shame as controversial security bill divides Parliament but pushes through

 CORD senators and MPs are blocked from entering the National Assembly main chamber by Parliament orderlies. [PHOTOS: MBUGUA KIBERA/Standard]

Kenya: A special session of the National Assembly convened yesterday to discuss the controversial security bill turned into a theatre of the absurd as MPs engaged in a shouting match.

If ever there was a Tower of Babel, it was Parliament yesterday as over 200 Members of Parliament shoved and pushed each other as rival camps sought to have their way.

Never since the 1990s when Opposition MPs disrupted the budget reading speech has the Kenya National Assembly witnessed such ugly scenes.

And CORD senators who turned up at Parliament Buildings to join their colleagues in opposing amendments to the Security Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2014, were reportedly roughed up. They included Senate Minority Leader Moses Wetang’ula, James Orengo, Johnstone Muthama, Elizabeth Ongoro and Boni Khalwale.

Mr Wetang’ula had his shirt torn while Mr Muthama walked out of the chamber sporting ripped brown trousers and an injury on his left leg.

The five senators had joined their colleagues in singing slogans as CORD MPs attempted to block the passage of the bill.

Later, when the senators attempted to return to Parliament, they were unable to because General Service Unit officers had cordoned off the House.

LOST CONTROL

At one point, Speaker Justin Muturi completely lost control of the House while his deputy Joyce Laboso was splashed with water and driven out of her seat, temporarily seeking refuge in the protective wings of orderlies as order papers were torn and thrown all over the floor of the House.

So heated was the exchange that even after Muturi threatened to expel errant members, he could not remember their names and could be heard loudly enquiring “Order!... Order!... What is the name of that one?”

DISORDERLY MANNER

At the beginning of the session, Mr Muturi had laid down the rules of engagement and declared that although the members had been recalled, those who behaved in a disorderly manner would be suspended and denied allowances for the next session.

The agents of chaos must have been smiling from wherever they were as Parliament, the country’s symbol of unity, came under siege as heavily armed police officers patrolled outside to keep demonstrators off.

Inside, orderlies formed a human shield around the mace and the Speaker, who hurriedly read through the amendments, his hoarse voice at times swallowed by deafening screams of ayes and nays.

Chaos, turmoil and disorder reigned as MPs engaged in near-physical confrontations, with the CORD wing turning the House unruly as they opposed the committee stage of the legislation of the laws.

Apparently aware that their Jubilee colleagues were determined as they had the numbers to push through the contentious laws, CORD members tore up the order papers and threw the pieces at their colleagues while chanting “Bado mapambano!”, (the struggle continues), disrupting proceedings.

Members of the Sergeant-At-Arms office were forced to shield the mace as a section of MPs threatened to carry away the ceremonial staff of authority.

And Muturi was forced to read the amendments to the bill under tight security by parliamentary orderlies as the Opposition attempted to disrupt the process by throwing paper and other objects at him.

Ultimately, Jubilee employed forceful tactics to literally push the bill through the committee stage.

Earlier, the Deputy Speaker had twice found it difficult to oversee the proceedings, with some legislators even pouring water on her and running away with the amendment list she was reading, momentarily halting the proceedings.

MPs opposed to the bill moved menacingly towards the chair where she was seated and, without warning, Homa Bay MP Gladys Wanga splashed water on her as the sergeants-at-arms appeared torn between shielding her and guarding the mace.

It must have been the longest day for the Speaker of the National Assembly, who at one point, exasperated with the day’s proceedings, wondered if MPs were ready to conduct business.

“Do you want to transact business or not? “he asked MPs as he struggled to be heard above the din.

During the morning session, five CORD senators were reportedly roughed up in the Speaker’s gallery.

Within minutes of the first adjournment in the morning, the parliamentary live feed was switched off and parliamentary orderlies ordered to close all routes to the main chamber.

Journalists blocked

Parliamentary journalists were blocked from accessing the chamber as chaos reigned in the Speaker’s gallery, where the five senators were seated, and in the corridors.

A few journalists managed to sneak to the press gallery to witness the first scenes of the chaos before they were thrown out.

CORD MPs had in the morning protested over a ruling by the Speaker that he would not adjourn the House to allow them go over amendments that had been agreed on by three House committees.

The committees of Justice and Legal Affairs, Administration and National Security, and Defence and Foreign Relations had met on Wednesday to prepare a final draft of amendments. CORD was, however, opposed to the amendments, terming them “cosmetic” and “sugar-coated”.

In anticipation of the polarising nature of the business before the House, the Speaker had issued a communication from the chair warning members of dire sanctions should they attempt to disrupt the business of the House.

“In most parliaments, no formal business can be conducted without the mace. The mace has a meaning of the innate authority and dignity of Parliament and its presiding officer – the Speaker. It would be appalling to disgrace such objects in any way. When the Speaker is officiating, the mace must be on its proper table in the House. I wish to remind you of the need to honour this simple authority.

“Any attempt to remove the mace will be met with the full wrath of the House and the full sanctions provided for in the standing orders,” the Speaker had warned in his communication before proceedings on the bill began.

But despite the warning, trouble started when the National Assembly Chairman of the House Committee on Administration and National Security, Asman Kamama, attempted to move amendments to the bill.

The afternoon session was even more chaotic, with CORD opposing the introduction of a supplementary order paper on grounds that it was not properly presented before the House.

While CORD appeared keen on delaying the process, their Jubilee counterparts appeared to be relying on their superior numbers in the House to push through the amendments.

Jubilee MPs termed the behaviour of their colleagues “unacceptable”.

Amendments made

Jamleck Kamau criticised his CORD colleagues for seeking to block the passage of the bill.

“If you look at the amendments, they are good for this country. It should not have come to this,” Mr Kamau said.

At one point, Deputy Minority Leader Jakoyo Midiwo confronted his Majority colleague Adan Duale and complained that he had not been able to access the changes made to the bill.

“I stayed here up to midnight awaiting the amendments. The Speaker is conducting the proceedings of the House in a dictatorial manner,” shouted Mr Midiwo.

Mr Duale later criticised his colleagues’ behaviour, saying they “have behaved as if they were at a funeral”.

Duale demanded that the Speaker gives direction on the “humiliation” of the Deputy Speaker.

“The integrity of Parliament is at stake. I’m the leader of Jubilee which is ruling, which is in power. The matter is bigger than rearranging business of the House. The dignity of the House is at stake. The Deputy Speaker was humiliated. You must give direction,” he said.