Govt walkout sabotages debate on Migingo island

By Standard Online

A walkout by the Government side on Wednesday sabotaged a Motion on the controversial Migingo island.

Rising to move the Private member’s Motion, Ikolomani MP Bonny Khalwale had expressed disgust and anger over interference o Kenya’s territorial integrity by Ugandan forces.

He pointed at the presence of Ugandan troops on Migingo island and interference with the Kenyan border at Kacheliba in West Pokot.

Khalwale moved the motion asking President Kibaki to use all means necessary, including the mobilisation of the armed forces, to protect the country’s borders according to his oath of office.

"Migingo is ours. Even if it is only one acre, we will reclaim it because Migingo is ours. Even if it is only a piece of rock, we will do all we need to protect it because it is ours," said Khalwale in an impassioned speech in Parliament.

He added that the actions by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, and his reference to the matter as as "jaluo issue" was contemptuous of Kenyans.

But he was interrupted by Assistant Defence minister David Musila, who said it was against Standing Orders "to discuss the character of the head of State of a friendly country".

But the Mwingi South MP faced a barrage of points of order, with MPs asking Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim to declare Uganda a hostile neighbour.

Nominated MP Millie Odhiambo successfully moved an amendment asking President Kibaki to seek the assistance of the United Nations Security Council to sort out the matter.

She was forced to withdraw remarks that "Yoweri Museveni Ka-whatever is a mad man" seeking to control countries in the eastern Africa region, citing conflicts with Sudan, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo as the other countries whose borders Museveni was interfering with.

But as Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa stood to support the amended motion, MPs the Government side complained that the Speaker had overlooked them.

Subsequently, they walked out, forcing parliament to adjourn for lack of quorum, as there were less than the mandatory 30 MPs required to conduct business.

The debate will resume next Wednesday when Private Members’ Motions are debated.

Parliament would resume business on Wednesday afternoon, with debate on a report by the Finance Committee on the Supplementary Budget discrepancy.

The committee was asked to prepare a report on the query by Imenti Central MP Gitobu Imanyara on the discrepancy of Sh9.2 billion in Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta’s presentation to MPs.