KENYA: MPs Fight Over Security Bill

Chaos marred
a special Parliamentary sitting on the contentious Security Bill on Thursday
morning forcing National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi to call for a 30-minute
adjournment.

 

The session
that had been convened to vote on the Security Laws (Amendment) Bill 2014
introduced in Parliament by the Executive turned chaotic when opposition MPs
started chanting in the plenary rendering the process impossible.

 

The MPs tore
up order papers on the amendments and littered the floor while chanting “Bado Mapambano” (the struggle continues) song, as
deputy speaker Joyce Laboso tried in vain to direct the vote. 

 

The TV
cameras in the parliament showed the disarray going on which resulted to some Honorable
members remaining with torn shirts and trousers because of the fracas. 

 

The
opposition wanted to stop the debate on the Security Bill which they termed
draconian and regressive to democracy; while the ruling party (Jubilee) said
that the bill was special and genuine and thus, needed a discussion.

 

Earlier one
of the Mps (Ababu Namwamba) from the opposition side, made allegations of
intimidation by the executive arm of the government, following the presence of
the heavy security agents outside Parliament. “We must condemn in the
strongest terms possible attempts by any authority outside this House to
intimidate or control the outcome of this debate,” he said.

 

The speaker of
the Assembly Muturi implored the Sergeant-at-Arms to take note of the members
who were ‘misbehaving’ so that appropriate action could be taken against them.