A heated exchange unfolded in the Senate on Tuesday after Migori Senator Eddy Oketch challenged the return of the Division of Revenue Bill to the order paper, leading to his dramatic removal from the chamber by Speaker Amason Kingi.
Oketch raised concerns over the process used to bring the Bill back for debate, insisting that Senators had not been properly briefed on the decision. He argued that members deserved an explanation before Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot could proceed with moving the Bill.
“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.
His remarks interrupted Cheruiyot, who was pushing for the debate to continue. The Kericho Senator responded by accusing Oketch of becoming unruly and making it difficult for the House to proceed with business.
“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 Cheruiyot.
He added that respect among Senators was important and reminded the House that he had listened calmly when others were speaking, even when he did not agree with them.
“In this House, we respect each other as colleagues and when he rose to speak, I listened to him; I did not necessarily agree with what he was saying but I calmly sat back and listened to him.”
Cheruiyot explained that his main focus was ensuring counties receive more funding through the Bill. He said the proposal currently stood at Ksh.420 billion, but Senators needed enough time to push the National Assembly to raise it to at least Ksh.450 billion.
“My particular interest in this Bill is seeing the Bill that is proposing Ksh.420 billion when we know we need to push the National Assembly to secure a minimum of Ksh.450 billion for our counties, and that takes time and that is why I want us to begin this process,” he stated.
Speaker Kingi stepped in and asked Oketch to allow the Majority Leader to continue.
“Order, Senator Eddy. You have made your point, allow the Majority Leader to make his,” said Kingi.
However, Oketch continued to interrupt even after the Speaker’s direction. This forced Kingi to take stronger action and order him to leave the chamber immediately.
“Senator Eddy, I gave you an opportunity, and you spoke what you had to speak, the explanation has been given…order!!”
“Senator Eddy leave the Chamber immediately! If you don’t leave in the next few seconds, Sergeant-at-Arms, escort the member out of the Chamber,” ruled Kingi.
Later, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna supported Oketch’s concerns and asked Cheruiyot to apologise for trying to move the Bill before addressing the issues raised by fellow Senators.
