Migori Senator Eddy Oketch kicked out of Parliament

Migori Senator Eddy Oketch was on Tuesday ordered to leave the Senate chamber after a heated exchange with Speaker Amason Kingi over the reintroduction of the Division of Revenue Bill.

The drama unfolded during Senate proceedings when Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot rose to move the Division of Revenue Bill, Senate Bill No. 1, triggering protests from a section of senators led by Oketch.

Oketch objected to the Bill being returned to the Order Paper, arguing that senators had earlier agreed it should not be reintroduced before the House was fully briefed on consultations involving the Council of Governors.

“I beg that this Bill should be put aside, we must be briefed even in a kamukunji how a decision was made for this Bill to come back into the order paper, Mr Speaker. Otherwise, we are not going to progress as a House…you cannot explain to us while moving the Bill! We cannot take it! That is disrespect to the House and me,” said Oketch.

He insisted that Senate leadership had resolved that the matter should not proceed until concerns surrounding the dispute with governors had been addressed collectively.

“At the very least, if there was even a small respect to this House by that committee or leadership that met, we should have been called as a House before even that matter is put in the business of the House,” he said.

“You cannot ambush us here and bring a Bill, then the Majority Leader is going to explain to us a decision that has been taken that we are not behind and then move the same Bill,” he said.

He called for the Bill to be stepped aside and for senators to be briefed, including through an informal Kamukunji meeting, before debate could proceed.

“This Bill must be stepped aside. We must be briefed even in a Kamukunji on how a decision was made for this Bill to come back into the Order Paper,” he said.

After he concluded, Speaker Kingi directed Majority Leader Cheruiyot to proceed with his explanation, but Oketch continued interrupting from his seat, prompting repeated calls for order.

“Senator Eddy, order. You have made your point. Allow the Majority Leader to explain,” Kingi said.

As tensions escalated, Cheruiyot accused the Migori Senator of being disruptive as he attempted to move the Bill.

Cheruiyot, while defending his position, said he had remained respectful when other Senators spoke and expected the same courtesy.

“I don’t want to lose my cool, Mr Speaker. I don’t know how to shout back at Senator Eddy…I didn’t complain about the Nairobi Senator because I didn’t hear him say anything, but it is Senator Eddy who is becoming unruly this afternoon and I don’t find that to be fair,” said the Kericho Senator.

Cheruiyot defended the decision to reintroduce the Bill, saying Senate leadership had spent the past two weeks consulting and engaging the Council of Governors after senators raised concerns over governors boycotting appearances before the County Public Accounts Committee.

“When we rose last week, we promised the House that as leadership we were going to consult, we would listen to what the Council of Governors said, and after we reached consensus on certain conditions which the House wanted met, we would resume business,” Cheruiyot said.

He said governors had since withdrawn their earlier position and agreed to resume appearances before the committee, clearing the way for the Senate to proceed with the Bill.

“Now that that matter is behind us, Mr Speaker, we can proceed,” he said.

However, Oketch continued protesting.

“Senator Eddy, I gave you opportunity to speak; the explanation has been given. Order! Senator Eddy, leave the chamber immediately. Senator Eddy, leave the chamber, leave the chamber immediately,” Kingi directed.

When the Migori senator did not leave immediately, the Speaker issued a final warning.

“If you don’t leave in the next few seconds, Sergeant-at-Arms escort the member out of the chamber,” he said.

Moments later, Kingi called in the Sergeant-at-Arms to enforce the order.

“Sergeant-at-Arms! Sergeant-at-Arms kindly…” he said.

As the senator exited, Kingi restored order and invited Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna to proceed with his remarks.