Chaos broke out at City Hall on Monday afternoon as MCAs stormed Speaker Beatrice Elachi’s office in a bid to eject her.
Ms Elachi, who was impeached last week, reported to work on Monday after the Labour court stopped her removal.
The ward reps, who were accompanied by their supporters, pushed their way and momentarily gained entry into Ms Elachi’s office.
Ms Elachi, who moments earlier was holding an exclusive interview with NTV, remained calm even as some of the employees in her office panicked.
Elachis Personal Assistant James Mwangi (left) struggles with Nominated MCA Mary Njambi over the speaker’s chair on September 10, 2018. PHOTO | COLLINS OMULO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Shouting “Elachi must go”, the MCAs said the speaker must respect their decision to fire her and leave the assembly.
Majority Leader Abdi Guyo said that the office of the speaker is now vacant and there is no going back on their decision to impeach her.
They were repelled by police officers who lobbed tear gas canisters but the rowdy lawmakers did not leave the headquarters of Nairobi City County.
They addressed the media outside the office and after a while, pushed their way back into the speaker’s office, with a bang.
Facing Ms Elachi, the MCAs told her to leave.
After the almost two-hour drama, Ms Elachi left her seat and hid in the toilet. PHOTO | COLLINS OMULO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Some banged her table and attempted to remove it as Ms Elachi pleaded for calm.
Nominated MCA Mary Njambi, who was among the most dramatic in her demands, attempted to carry Ms Elachi’s seat, a move that saw her engage in a struggle with the speaker’s personal assistant James Mwangi.
The lawmakers stood their ground: “We will not leave until you vacate.”
The drama, beamed lived on national television, lasted for more than two hours.
Later, some of the MCAs retreated as Ms Elachi left the office and took cover in a toilet.
‘PEACE’
As at 1.45pm, Ms Elachi was still in the toilet.
Minority whip Peter Imwatok said the House leadership and security were trying to talk her to come out.
He said they were worried that Ms Elachi might decide to do something bad to herself.
He said the plan was to escorted the speaker out of City Hall “in peace”.
Mr Guyo and Minority Leader Elias Otieno later summoned the MCAs to chart the way forward.
It took the intervention of Central Police Station police chief Robinson Thuku to defuse the tension that was sparked by the reedy MCAs.
After spending more than hour in the hideout, Ms Elachi left the assembly through the basement exit as the MCAs held a Kamukunji, which Mr Otieno said is to “reaffirm a job well done”.
-nation.co.ke
