NYERI COUNTY: The Nyeri County assembly officials Wednesday barred members of the press from covering the assembly proceedings during the morning session.
Media and the public were barred at the gates with guards saying that they had been instructed by the Sergeant at Arms office to keep members of the media at bay.
"We cannot let anyone in until we are given further instructions by the office of the Sergeant at Arms, said one the security guards.
Anti Riot police were also stationed at the Assembly grounds guarding the entrances of the assembly building.
However, after two hours of waiting at the gate members of the assembly were forced to intervene and insisted that journalists enter the assembly press gallery since the proceedings were open for the members of the public and press.
Nyeri Speaker David Mugo however was not in the house and deputy speaker Joel Gichuru presided over the session.
One of Sergeant at arms Officer who refused to be named said that the Deputy Speaker had given strict instructions not to allow any press into the Assembly grounds.
It later emerged that during the assembly proceedings, there was a change of guard at the county assembly after Wamagana Ward Representative Jesse Kamuri was proposed on the floor of the house as the Majority Leader to replace Muruguru Ward MCA Anthony Kibuu.
The National Alliance TNA members split into rival camps over elections of the Majority leader with the Kamuri led group claiming that they had held party elections and 19 out of the 36 members had supported Kamuri's bid for deputy speaker.
A crowd of Kamuri's supporters thronged the assembly grounds chanting songs where he addressed them and informed them that he was now the Majority leader in the Nyeri Assembly.
A rival faction led by Kibuu however insisted that they would not recognize the announcement by Kamuri because it was illegal and they had been duped.
Nominated MCA Regina Macharia said that TNA members had received a message to attend a party election meeting in the lobby room to elect the positions of Chief Whip and Majority leader.
However, Ms Macharia claimed that when the members were in the lobby room Kamuri and several members went into the floor of the house and announced the party had elected Kamuri as the majority leaders.
"This is a coup, and it was unacceptable for the members to make such announcements, we held elections and Mr Kibuu won with 21 votes," Ms Macharia said.
She said that they would communicate to the Party Headquarters and seek direction on the way forward.
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Kamuri insisted that party officials should not interfere with the choice of the members of the assembly.
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