Wrangles loom large as MCAs plot coup

A section of Homa Bay MCAs address journalists in the county assembly premises on May 15, 2020. [James Omoro]

There is a looming battle in Homa Bay County Assembly after a section of MCAs rejected the current leadership and vowed to form a parallel one.

Tension was high in the county assembly on Friday after a group of MCAs led by acting speaker Godfrey Anyango convened a special sitting at Kendu Bay Show Ground in Karachuonyo constituency instead of the county assembly premises in Homa Bay Town constituency.

But a group of 27 MCAs led by Gwassi North MCA Evans Marieba, his counterparts Okuku Miregi (Rusinga Island), Ellyphalet Osuri (Ruma Kaksingri), Walter Muok (Kanyadoto), Juma Awuor (Homa Bay Town East), Julius Nyambok (Homa Bay Town Central) and Everline Otieno (nominated) rejected Anyango’s leadership and boycotted the sitting in Kendu Bay.

Instead, they convened a parallel meeting in the county assembly premises, where they promised to form their new leadership structure from yesterday.

The MCAs accused Speaker Anyango of bad leadership and faulted him for holding the county assembly proceedings in Kendu Bay.

According to a notice seen by The Standard, Mr Anyango convened the controversial proceedings to make changes in the assembly committees and approve nomination of Kanyaluo MCA Jeff Ongoro as a member of the assembly service board.

Mr Marieba accused Anyango of violating the law by holding the assembly proceedings without approval of MCAs in the house.

“The law states that the resolution of holding proceedings outside the county assembly premises should be discussed and approved on the floor of the house. But this never happened hence their proceeding is illegal,” Marieba said.

He said the county assembly was already divided hence they cannot continue under Anyango’s leadership.

“We are forming our new leadership structure to enable us conduct the assembly business effectively. We will soon announce our leadership structure,” said Marieba.

Mr Muok argued that it was wrong for Anyango to allow discussion for introducing a new member in the assembly service board against a court order.

Mr Miregi attributed holding of the assembly proceedings in Kendu Bay town to divisive regional politics in the county.

However, our efforts to get Anyango’s response to the accusations leveled against him proved futile after he failed to respond to our phone calls and SMS.