Drama as MCAs lock out colleagues and ‘oust’ speaker

Nyandarua County Assembly Speaker Wahome Ndegwa. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Wrangles at the Nyandarua County Assembly showed little sign of abating when some members voted to impeach Speaker Ndegwa Wahome.

The 20 MCAs locked out their colleagues allegedly supporting Mr Wahome from the chambers, some minutes before the House resumed after it was adjourned two weeks ago.

They tabled an impeachment motion and later elected Kaimbaga ward MCA Gabriel Gathure to replace Wahome.

The MCAS thereafter grabbed the speaker's robe from one of the clerks and used it to swear in Mr Gathure as the new speaker.

Wahome in a statement said the House had been adjourned until next week.

The MCAs voted to remove the speaker following weeks of protracted wrangles and against efforts by county legislators to restore order and end the long-standing differences.

In a meeting in Nairobi and attended by MPS Jeremiah Kioni (Ndaragwa) Michael Muchira (Ol jororok) Amos Kimunya (Kipipiri) Kwenya Thuku (Kinangop) and woman Rep Faith Gitau on Monday, Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki delivered a message from President Uhuru Kenyatta calling for an end to wrangles.

The meeting was also attended by Governor Kimemia, Senator Mwangi Githiomi and the embattled speaker.