Kakamega MCAs bar MPs from speaking at funeral

The MCAs snatched a microphone from Mumias East MP Peter Salasya. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

Kakamega MCAs disrupted the funeral of their slain colleague Stephen Maloba saying he died in a rally organised by an MP and that it would be disrespectful for legislators to mourn him.

The about 90 Ward reps at Munjiti Primary School where the funeral mass occurred also argued that most MPs in the region never condemned the April 1 killing where Maloba was stabbed in a rally at Khwisero and died on his way to the hospital.

They snatched a microphone from Mumias East MP Peter Salasya and cut short the speech of Emuhaya MP Omboko Milemba who left without a word but gave his funeral contribution in a hurry.

"They are killers, they are killers, they can't kill our colleague then speak at his funeral," they told Kakamega deputy governor Ayub Savula when he asked them why they acted in that manner.

To cool things down, Savula called senior Azimio and Kenya Kwanza leaders with the approval of the ward reps as MPs walked away in the funeral service at Munjiti Primary School.

Pathologists said Maloba died because of excessive bleeding after he was stabbed in the chest during a political event in his ward.

The stab happened amidst a fracas where goons aligned to a rival political formation blocked him from addressing the meeting organised at Munjiti by area MP Christopher Aseka.

Governor James Orengo (Siaya) and Fernandez Barasa (Kakamega) who were allowed to speak at the funeral condemned the killing of the MCA in early April.

"The wrong thing in this country is that big people get away with crime but that should come to a stop for justice to stand," said Orengo. "The level of insecurity in the country is in a bad state not only in Kakamega but also in Kilifi where more than 100 people were killed mysteriously."

Barasa said he would rally fellow governors to help ward reps get personal security.