Parliament: Speaker forced to intervene as MP Mwenje lashes at MP Kaitany for accusing Amos Mwago of absenteeism
By Steve Ireri, February 11, 2025Drama took center stage during Tuesday, February 11, 2025, parliamentary meeting over the House’s majority party, as MPs from rival alliances abandoned all pretense of decorum to turn the chamber into a political battleground.
Heated exchanges flew across the floor, forcing Speaker Moses Wetang’ula into the difficult role of a referee, struggling to contain the escalating tensions.
At the heart of the storm were Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje, Aidai MP Marianne Jebet Kaitany, and Starehe MP Amos Mwago.
Tensions flared when Kaitany took the floor to address the House but instead launched a scathing attack on Mwago, accusing him of habitual absenteeism despite Parliament being located within his own constituency.
Her remarks came as she defended Speaker Moses Wetang’ula against calls for his resignation following a court ruling. Kaitany cited a letter circulating on social media demanding Wetang’ula step down—a letter she said had been authored by Mwago.
“Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to reference a letter that has been making rounds on social media, supposedly written to you, calling for your resignation following this ruling. After reading the judgment, nowhere does it state that the Speaker must resign upon this verdict. Secondly, the MP who authored the letter is the Member for Starehe, who ironically hosts Parliament within his constituency. Yet, when we examine his record, he is rarely present in this House,” she asserted.
Bar lover
Determined to go after Mwago, Kaitany further stunned the House by stating that he only shows up in Parliament when visiting his favorite bar which is based near the premises.
“He is hardly ever in this House. The only time he comes near Parliament or its precincts is when he’s at the bar nearby,” she quipped.
Her remarks, however, did not sit well with several members, who erupted into loud jeers and shouts of “Order! Order!” in protest.
Though the specific MPs who took issue with her statement were not immediately identified, Speaker Wetang’ula swiftly intervened to restore calm. Addressing the uproar, he directly called out Mwenje, questioning why he was violating their prior agreement to maintain decorum in the House.
“What is it now? Order, Mwenje! Order! Order! This is not a marketplace, for heaven’s sake. As a young lawyer and MP, I have been mentoring you, guiding you on how to conduct yourself. No matter how agitated you are, you must maintain your composure—just like the distinguished doctor next to you. Even if you have a valid point, you don’t need to stand up and shout at your colleague. That is grossly disorderly conduct,” he reprimanded.
Heated session
The MPs were at each other’s throats after Parliament convened a heated session to debate a recent court ruling on Speaker Moses Wetang’ula’s fate and the ongoing battle over which coalition—Azimio la Umoja or Kenya Kwanza—holds the majority in the House.
Among those who vehemently dismissed the ruling was Baringo North MP Kipkoros Joseph Makilap, who, without mincing words, cautioned the Speaker against hastily ruling on a matter that the courts had deliberated on based on outdated agreements.
The legislator informed the House that the court’s ruling, which favored Azimio, was anchored on an agreement signed on August 9, 2022, immediately after the August 8, 2022, general election.
According to Makilap, the courts failed to consider the post-election political shifts, particularly the defection of members from parties such as Jubilee and UDM to Kenya Kwanza.
He contended that the determination of the majority should reflect the current composition of Parliament rather than a rigid assessment based on past agreements.
“This decision was frozen at the moment of August 9, 2022, right after the elections, based on what was called a pre-election coalition agreement. However, after we were sworn in, post-election agreements also came into play. This means that the composition of Parliament, in terms of party affiliations, is a dynamic, ever-shifting reality shaped by evolving interests among MPs and the coalitions they choose to align with,” he argued.