Azimo senators staged a walkout from the Senate in solidarity with their Narok counterpart, Ledama Olekina, who was ordered out of the house by session chair, Deputy Speaker Kathuri Murungi.
On Thursday, February 16, Murungi ordered the sergeant at arms to escort Olekina out, accusing him of gross misconduct during the proceedings.
This is after the vocal senator continuously protested the failure of Speaker Amason Kingi to deliver the Communication of the Chair on the change of Azimio’s leadership in the house.
“Ledama you know the rules of this House. You are grossly out of order, and I will read Standing Order 121. I request Senator Ole Kina to leave this house and request to move the senator until the next sitting,” Murungi ruled.
However, the ruling was quickly countered by the leader of the minority, Senator Stewart Madzayo, who pleaded with the sitting chair to address his colleague’s concern.
Murungi went on to read the next order of business, causing the opposition senators to chant, ‘Kingi must go’. Madzayo called his side to order and individually tried to bargain with the speaker.
“You cannot do that, Mr Speaker. You are violating the Constitution. You are supposed to be guided by the standing orders,” he protested.
The Speaker ruled him out of order and asked him to take his seat. An incessant Madzayo insisted on addressing the session speaker, and he, too, was asked to leave the floor.
As the sergeants at arms approached the two senators, all Azimio senators, save for those in Jubilee, walked out of the Senate.
Before his suspension, Olekina questioned why Kingi had not issued a communication to the effect of the replacement of Fatuma Dullo as the whip of the Minority.
On February 15, Azimio party leader Raila Odinga ejected Dullo from the position after she was accused of aligning with the government.
Dullo was replaced by Olekina, her deputy, while Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna stepped into the position left by the Narok Senator.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE