Gathoni Wamuchomba Suspended from Parliament for 20 Days after Walking Out on Moses Wetang'ula
- Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba explained why she could not remain in the House during a ministerial response
- Speaker Moses Wetang’ula urged her to stay before an MP’s request prompted him to suspend her
- Wetang’ula outlined the privileges Wamuchomba would lose during her 20-day suspension from parliament
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Nancy Odindo, a TUKO.co.ke journalist, has over four years of experience covering Kenyan politics, news, and features for digital and print media.
Githunguri Member of Parliament Gathoni Wamuchomba has been suspended from the precincts of parliament for 20 sitting days after defying Speaker Moses Wetang’ula’s order to remain in the chamber.
Source: Facebook
The Wednesday, August 13, confrontation arose during a session in which Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen responded to a question on the murder of women at the Kware dumpsite in Embakasi South.
The suspect, Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, escaped from police custody in August 2024 and has never been rearrested.
Why did Gathoni Wamuchomba walk out of parliament?
Expressing her dissatisfaction with Murkomen’s response, Wamuchomba declared:
“I refuse to listen to the answer that he is giving. It is not right for him to come and tell us that a suspect disappeared, and he is not giving us any hope. The minister cannot come here and tell us that he wants members of the public to help them identify a suspect who was previously in their custody. As a woman leader, as a mother and a mother of girls, I refuse to be given such an answer from the CS.”
As she attempted to leave, Wetang’ula intervened, calling her actions 'total discourtesy' and urging her to return to her seat.
Source: Twitter
She ignored the order, prompting him to drop the question and warn against 'playing to the gallery' in the House.
“It is discourtesy in the House for you to ask a question being prosecuted now with supplementaries and then walk out. It is total discourtesy, go back and take your seat,” the Speaker said.
“This kind of bravado and playing to the gallery doesn’t help at all. I have brought the minister for you to interrogate him. If the answers are not sufficient, that is why I have given out supplements to probe him even further. This is not a House for scoring bonga points politically. It is a House for representing your people," he added.
Deputy Majority Leader Owen Baya called for disciplinary action, warning that such defiance could set a bad precedent.
Will Wamuchomba enjoy parliament facilities during suspension?
Wetang’ula ruled that Wamuchomba would serve a 20-day suspension, excluding recess days, during which she would be barred from accessing Parliament precincts and using its facilities.
“As to the case of Wamuchomba, under Standing Order 107A as read with 1(a) and (3), and having been prompted by the deputy majority leader, Wamuchomba will serve the suspension of 20 days, excluding the recess days.
In those days, she would not be able to enter the precincts of Parliament or enjoy the facilities of Parliament, including the restaurant, the gym and the office. If you can’t respect the speaker, then who else will you respect?” he posed.
Why was Falhada Dekow banned from parliament?
In other news, Wetang'ula suspended EALA legislator Falhada Iman Dekow from accessing parliament and its facilities for 90 days, except when delivering a written explanation over a violent altercation.
The clash, caught on video, involved Dekow and nominated ODM MP Umulkher Harun.
He noted that if claims that a sitting MP recorded the video were confirmed, the individual could face sanctions under the Parliament Powers and Privileges Act.
The incident was deemed damaging to the dignity and integrity of Parliament.
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
