Chaos as MCAs clash over fresh bid to kick out Elachi

Chaos erupt at Nairobi County Assembly after MCA’s opposed to Speaker Beatrice Elachi disrupt proceedings. [Collins Kweyu/Standard]

Anarchy rocked the Nairobi County Assembly once again yesterday in the wake of a fresh attempt to impeach Speaker Beatrice Elachi.

Trouble began after MCAs allied to Ms Elachi disrupted a press briefing by their colleagues allied to Assembly Majority Leader Abdi Guyo who us pushing for the speaker’s ouster.

The ward reps traded kicks and blows and hurled objects at each other. They jumped over tables and chairs as the war escalated.

MCAs allied to Guyo - who on Monday mooted a plan to impeach Elachi - were addressing the Media and responding to claims earlier made by their counterparts that no impeachment motion would be entertained at the assembly.

Those allied to Elachi, however, interrupted the briefing saying they would not allow anyone to disrespect the speaker.

But the Guyo-led faction maintained that they had obtained a court order barring Elachi from accessing the assembly chambers until her censure motion is debated and dispensed with, further adding that they had forwarded the signatures to assembly Clerk Jacob Ngwele for verification.

“We will be attending the plenary session, but we will not allow Elachi to preside over it. The session will be presided over by either deputy speaker or any other member from the speaker’s panel,” vowed South B MCA Waithera Chege.

“Ms Elachi should respect the court order in the same manner she is expecting us to respect the one that brought her back,” Ms Waithera added.

An MCA had obtained a court order barring Elachi from accessing the assembly precincts until a case in which she and three others are accused of acting contrary to the powers and privileges act.

Moments before the altercation, MCAs allied to Elachi vowed to block her impeachment and instead oust Guyo as Majority Leader.

In a record setting attendance where all the MCAs were present late yesterday, Jubilee allied MCAs made it difficult for the speaker and the house in general to conduct business as they chanted, “Respect the court order. Elachi must respect the court order.”

The court order seen by The Standard and dated issued by the High Court on October 25 further prevents the Nairobi City Assembly, Nairobi City County Service Board and the clerk of the Nairobi County Jacob Ngwele from bringing or being involved in the bringing of strangers, goons, or persons not allowed by law to be in the house of the county assembly and who may cause the interruption of business in the house.