MCAs' bad behaviour demeans their offices

The high number of fist fights in county assemblies, which were designed to function better than the councils that preceded them, and which were notorious for fisticuffs, is worrying. On Monday, MCAs fought in Nyeri. Twice in two weeks, they have fought in Murang’a. In Kericho, blows were exchanged the week before. Obviously, at the centre of this is the urge by the members of county assemblies to feather their own nests through sitting and other allowances.

It is downright unacceptable that the jostling for membership of committees should degenerate into a physical fight. The fights reflect badly on the elected leaders who, ideally, should be role models. Leadership is principally about tolerance of diverse opinion and restraint even when provoked. The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has stepped in, but we all know that is a template reaction; there will be no gnashing of teeth. The bottom line is leaders should carry themselves as leaders ought to. The MCAs’ unbecoming conduct is bringing the county’s leadership into disrepute. Carrying oneself with decorum is one of the attributes of a good leader.

One sure way to fight this is for their peers to hand down punitive sanctions to the culprits to send the message that they abhor their names and reputations being dragged through the mud. What we have witnessed is a complete breakdown of law and order.

The county assembly chambers are hallowed grounds. MCAs desecrate these places when they fight there. Those who elected them deserve better than being treated to these shameless acts.