Nominated women MCAs exchange blows over attempts to impeach Migori Governor Okoth Obado

Migori Governor Okoth Obado, two MCAs are reported to have fought over a possible motion to impeach him

Two nominated female MCAs exchanged blows at the assembly on Thursday over a pending impeachment motion against Governor Okoth Obado.

The two leaders from Suna West and Rongo constituencies were arguing over the proposed motion to remove Obado from office when they attacked each other.

"The two were seated side by side during a plenary session at the assembly when they started exchanging blows bringing the session into abrupt end," an MCA told reporters who were blocked from the assembly.

Speaking to the press outside the assembly, acting speaker Boaz Okoth said the two fought over the impeachment motion "which is just still a rumour".

"I have heard it too, but I was not there. The two were arguing over the impending motion to impeach the governor," Okoth said adding that the motion is yet to be officially tabled at the assembly.

On Wednesday MCAs were forced to go into Kamukunji (an informal sitting) at assembly grounds after their queries to the governor over budget use and implementation was not answered.

Last month in a press briefing, 12 MCAs complained bitterly alleging money allocated for ward bursaries has been shared discriminatively while funds meant for other development projects have been embezzled.

The MCAs said out of the 40 wards in the County, 28 have received their allocations while the 12 are yet to get anything.

The MCAs led by the deputy majority leader and the ward rep for Macalder Kanyarwanda Erick Gogo had warned “of a next cause of action” if the governor does not do something about their grievances.

Some of their concerns which an MCA confided in The Standard that might have led to the possible tabling of an impeachment motion is that they had passed as the legislative wing, that all dispensaries in the County receive an allocation. The representative claimed that despite being budgeted for, the dispensaries are yet to receive funds.

"Most of us do not know how to face the electorates back at home because of the stalled projects and embezzled funds," he added.

Thomas Odera of Kanyasa ward said some of them cannot walk freely in their wards or address their constituents in public gatherings since the public has grown hostile towards them.

"They demand the services we promised; by June this year, the County's Sh6.5billion for this financial year had arrived, we therefore cannot fathom why we cannot get allocations," Odera said.

The MCAs who all of a sudden seem to have taken development and accountability issues seriously as election nears on Thursday also had summoned all nine county executives to answer queries on why some projects were still stalling and explain why most did not follow the proposed budget passed by the assembly.

The CECs did not turn up as they requested for more time to have conclusive answers before the house, a source from the assembly said.

South Sakwa MCA Jared Osawa said the impeachment motion was already picking pace and that 46 members out of 63 members have already signed the petition.

"We have cases of corruption and ghost projects in Migori County as we can't point out effects of Sh21billion already given since devolution started," Osawa said.