Homa Bay county assembly engage in physical fight over committees

Seated from left, Homa Bay County Assembly Majority Chief Whip Johnson Ochola, Minority leader Isaac Nyandege, Nominated MCA Ruth Ombura and Kwabwai ward rep Richard Ogindo condemn violence which in which MCAs fought in the assembly.

KENYA: Homa Bay MCAs fought in the assembly ahead of CORD leader Raila Odinga's tour the house Friday.

In the incident which took place on Wednesday afternoon, the MCAs turned the assembly from an honourable house to a battle field.

The mayhem was caused by the dissenting in composing four assembly committees which they considered very lucrative.

The upheavals began when the county Assembly Speaker Samuel Ochillo wanted to read names of new members of the house business committee but a section of them refused by shouting at him.

The drama commenced when Kendu Bay Town ward representative George Otieno boxed his Kakelo Kwanya counterpart Omuga Orianga who was shouting on the floor to silence him from doing so.

In what was intended to end the confrontation, Central Kasipul ward rep who wanted to protect Oriango was suddenly attacked by South Kabuoch counterpart Oscar Ouma.

The battle proceeded when Central Karachuonyo ward representative Julius Gaya got involved in a fight with nominated MCA Mary Amwata. This war attracted women MCAs led by Ruth Ombura and Rachel Polo to join the fight against Gaya.

"Why must Gaya beat Amwata. We cannot accept women to be harassed and intimidated by our male counterparts in this assembly. Women must be respected," shouted Ms Ombura.

It forced male MCAs to intervene and salvage their colleagues from the ward.

Many MCAs turned drinking water to washing water in which they sprinkled it on the on their colleagues who opposed them.

Speaker Ochillo had to terminate the assembly proceedings abruptly after the members became uncontrollable warriors.

The assembly language used in the assembly also changed from English or Kiswahili as members hurled insults at one another in the vernacular.

"Wabiro gore nyaka jomoko lok pachgi e odni (We will fight until some people change their minds in this house)," shouted Ouma.

Later a section of the MCAs led by Minority Leader Isaac Nyandege told journalists that the fight was caused by rivalry which emerged in formation of lucrative committees such as House Business, Budget, Public Investment and Public accounts.

"Some members had taken advantage of the committees for their personal gains hence they want to remain in positions they had in those committees," said Nyandege.

Majority Chief Whip Johnson Ochola and his Kwabwai ward rep Richard Ogindo condemned the tendency on grounds some members had received bribe from the incumbents who wanted to retain their positions to scuttle formation of the committees.

"We were very peaceful but we suddenly realized that some members had received money to jeopardize the process. We are not going to achieve our role of serving the public if this trend continues," said Ogindo.