Uproar as Siaya MCA is suspended fourth time

Woes facing a Siaya MCA have deepened after the assembly suspended him for the fourth time in three months.

Joseph Mboha, South East Alego ward rep, was sent packing by the Privileges Committee for allegedly breaching assembly rules on Wednesday.

The latest suspension comes soon after the High Court directed that he be reinstated after he appealed his third suspension from the assembly.

The privileges committee had summoned him last week over accusations that he tried to forcibly enter the assembly compound soon after the court ordered his reinstatement.

Committee members accused him of attempting to storm the assembly while in the company of unruly youths.

He is also accused of insulting the assembly leadership. Mr Mboha, however, has defended himself saying the court had ordered that he attend the assembly's sittings and that is why he forced his way in.

He has blamed his troubles on Speaker George Okode, saying the speaker had broken an out of court agreement between them.

"Mr Okode's lawyer had asked my lawyer that we have an out of court settlement over the contempt of court charges facing Okede, said Mr Mboha.

"I agreed to drop the contempt of court issue and in return my suspension was to be lifted. The court ordered that I be allowed to attend all committee meetings and sessions.

Mboha said it was on the basis of that agreement that he went to the assembly only to be blocked by the security guards who said they had instructions from Okede that he should not be allowed in.

The MCA has now vowed to go back to court and have the suspension lifted.

Okode yesterday denied claims he had a personal vendetta with Mboha, saying he was suspended through the resolution of the assembly.

"Mboha stormed the assembly and shouted my name. That is why I decided to take the matter to the Powers and Privilege Committee," said Okode.

He added that he decided not to be part of the committee because he is an interested party.

"The committee was lenient on him and instead of suspending him for 90 days, they decided to suspend him for 45 days," Okede said.

"I told him to stop wasting his time in court because this is only making things harder for him."