Shouting match as Nakuru MCAs discuss BBI Bill
Nakuru County Assembly during a past session.
Nakuru County ward representatives engaged in shouting match on Tuesday moments after the BBI Amendment Bill was tabled in the House.
At some point, emotions run high and the shouting turned personal as some of the ward reps castigated Kabazi MCA Peter Mbae for expressing his views about the document in the media before it was tabled in the House.
The session was supposed to allow the document to be tabled as the assembly fast-track the procedure to pass or reject the document.
Trouble started moments after the deputy speaker Samuel Tonui table the document.
Dr Mbae rose to seek guidance from the Speaker on the next procedure before the Bill is returned at the assembly for debate.
"Due to the great interest of this document across the country, I would seek your guidance on the way forward on public participation. We must make sure the people we represent get the information in this Bill before we vote in the assembly," said Dr Mbae.
Speaker Joel Kairu said the House was putting in measures on how public participation will be conducted.
Viwandani (Naivasha) MCA Erick Gichuki accused Dr Mbae of seeking publicity in a wrong way.
"Dr Mbae has been in this assembly for the past three years unless he came last week…" said Mr Gichuki.
This led to more shouting in the House as Dr Mbae rose to defended himself and more MCAs rose to attack him.
"Dr Mbae has been on the mass media purporting to speak on behalf of the assembly …yet he is not a Whip, he is not a majority leader and he is neither a chairman of any committee…when he is talking in the media he should be talking on his own behalf or the people of Kabazi," said Mr Stanley Karanja who is the Naivasha East MCA.
However, Dr Mbae accused some of the MCAs of harassing him instead addressing the issue he raised about public participation.
“It’s not fair for MCAs to attack my personality. I have never spoken on behalf of the Nakuru County Assembly. I don’t need any position at the assembly. I have survived without them. When I say there are no enough BBI copies to be distributed to the citizens is it a crime? Why am I been crucified and condemned for just asking questions. This is like a mob justice killing someone,” said Dr Mbae.
He said he will stand firm and would not be intimidated by the assembly for speaking his mind.
"Every member has a right to give their views everywhere and address the media. I have been doing so in my capacity as a member of Kabazi. The citizens must be given sufficient copies on the ground and have all their questions answered before MCAs debate the same in the assemblies," said Dr Mbae
