Garissa: Chaos Erupt in Assembly as Speaker Defies Court Order, Effects Changes in House Leadership

 

The Political Parties Dispute Tribunal (PPDT) had issued orders barring the assembly from effecting any changes in leadership until a case filed by Abubakar Khalif of ODM and Abdi Ibrahim of Jubilee Party was heard and determined. "That pending the hearing and determination of the application, an interim order is hereby issued staying the implementation of the decision and the declaration of the Speaker of the County Assembly of Garissa pursuant to 2 letters, all dated September 3, on the replacement of the 1st and 2nd complainants as the Majority Party Leader and Majority Whip in the County Assembly of Garissa," PPDT ordered on Friday, September 8.  However, when the House resumed its sitting on Tuesday, September 12, Speaker Gure refused to abide by the court's orders.  Chaos erupted in the chambers as MCAs demanded that the speaker comply with the court order before any other agenda could be transacted. Attempts by the speaker to issue other communications failed as the MCA shouted at him, demanding that he respect the court order. At some points, the two opposing sides started fighting before the speaker was quickly whisked out of the chambers by the sergeant-at-arms. A section of Azimio MCAs was protesting the move by the speaker to okay a change of guard, which resulted in the replacement of the Majority Leader and other key leadership positions in the house. What Azimio leadership said on the purported changes Earlier, Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party secretary-general Junet Mohamed had also written to the Garissa County Assembly speaker dismissing the move to change house leadership.  "At no given time as the Coalition Party, we have sanctioned the said changes in the County Assembly. While the office of the SG attempts to ascertain the propriety or otherwise of the actions taken, we urge that the status quo ante be reverted to immediately,"Junet Mohamed said. Khalif accused the speaker of bias for allegedly supporting the change of leadership in the Azimio coalition. "The due process was not followed despite the assembly being a House of procedure and rules. The speaker is biased in this process and I don't know his intention," Khalif said. BY TUKO NEWS