Onyango Oloo accused of stage-managing ouster as chaos rock assembly

Kisumu Assembly Majority Leader Ken Onyango (left) confronts nominated MCA Caleb Omoro on September 26, 2018. PHOTO | ONDARI OGEGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

An afternoon sitting at the Kisumu County Assembly was on Wednesday disrupted after members accused Speaker Onyango Oloo of stage-managing his impeachment to avoid his actual removal from office.

According to Kolwa East Ward Rep Steve Owiti, the introduction of the motion caught the members unawares as they were preparing to replace two members of the county assembly service board.

"The members were shocked to find the sneaking in of the Speaker's impeachment which was brought in without following the right procedures," he said.

Mr Owiti alleged that Mr Oloo is engaging in a 'calculated move' to save himself from an impending ouster after realising that majority of members want him out of the office.

"He wants the motion to flop and stay for another six months before it is brought again to the Assembly," he said during the stormy meeting that nearly saw the leaders engage in a fist fight.

Mr Oloo who who initially presided over the sitting of the Assembly walked out to give members time to discuss his removal despite protest from members.

Nyalenda B Ward Rep Joseph Olale cited that the motion which was brought by Nominated MCA Mr Caleb Omoro was unprocedural and need to be expunged.

"We should not allow to be used in this house. We are aware that some people have been given money to taint our name," he said.

Before the matter is properly brought  to the Assembly, Market Milimani Ward representative Seth Kanga said the motion ought to have been signed by 75 per cent of members.

The MCAs are demanding for the expungement of the Order Paper saying there was no notice before it was brought before them.

"Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission should swing in and establish who printed the Order Paper and allowed it to get to the floor of the house," he said.

The move comes after Kisumu Governor Prof Anyang Nyong'o recently stepped in to rescue Speaker Oloo from impeachment, saying it could ruin county unity.

Prof Nyong’o instead threw his weight behind the speaker maintaining that he will not allow any wrangling in the house as witnessed in the previous assembly.

Mr Nyong'o termed the impeachment motion tabled by MCA Kanga as ill intended and meant to cause divisions in the county.

He warned the 48 MCAs in the Kisumu assembly to keep off such schemes and instead embrace dialogue should there be emerging differences in the Assembly.

A section of members of the County Assembly have been pushing for the impeachment of Mr Oloo, accusing him of mismanaging the assembly.

In what appears to be a return to the wrangles that dogged the first county assembly, Mr Oloo's ouster plan has been gaining momentum and is on and off.