County representative ejected from House from improper dressing

By Renson Buluma

Busia, Kenya: There was drama and humour at the County Assembly of Busia when members differed sharply over the acceptable dressing code in the house.

This transpired after one member of the county assembly was ejected from the plenary session for ‘inappropriate dressing.’

Deputy Speaker Moses Ote ordered Angurai North Ward Representative Maurice Chetambe to leave the house after spotting him dressed in a suit with short sleeves something he said was against the standing orders of the house.

 “The rules of the house are clear and they require members to dress in a suit. But what honorable Chetambe is dressed in is not a suit and therefore he should exit the house,” said Ote.

However, a section of members led by Gardy Jakaa of Bukhayo North ward rising on a point of order sought an explanation from the speaker as to why a member who was properly dressed was ejected from the house.

 “The standing orders demand that members be dressed in a suit and that is what Chetambe is dressed in. I am confused because I now don’t understand what constitutes a suit,” said Jakaa.

He added: “This is a house of making laws and therefore we should not be confined to the standards of other commonwealth countries when we can make laws that suit us.”

He was supported by other members including Imwene Ichasi and Sylvester Oyula who maintained that the ejected member was appropriately dressed.

Ote in response said: “according to his understanding a suit consisted of a long trouser and a long sleeved coat of same colors”.

He was supported by Lukas Wakuloba of Matayos South ward who argued that Chetambe was dressed in a Kaunda suit which was not acceptable in the house.

 “I have had an opportunity to live with Britons and therefore am more experienced on matters to do with dressing. One can only be said to be dressed in a suit if he puts on a long trouser with a marching long sleeved coat, closed shoes and in a neat shirt with a tie,” said Wakuloba.

Nominated member Monica Mung’ala also joined the debate by asking the speaker to define the dress code that was supposed to be used by female members as she further accused him of being too lenient on women.

“The assembly should treat all members equal. If a male member is ejected from the house for dressing inappropriately, the same measure should be applied on women,” said Mungala.

Ote said that female members had been asked to come with their own dressing code which was acceptable.

He however promised to come up with true definition of a suit within the next two weeks.