There was drama at the Homa Bay County Assembly after a group of MCAs blocked embattled Speaker Elizabeth Ayoo from resuming duty after she was reinstated by the Labour Court.
The MCAs pushed, shoved and hurled insults at each other along the Assembly corridors after they differed over Ayoo’s return to office following her impeachment last week.
Mrs Ayoo who was impeached by a group of MCAs opposed to her leadership got a reprieve from the Employment and Labour Relations court in Kisumu that allowed her to resume duty pending the determination of a case she had filed.
On Wednesday, Ayoo arrived at the County Assembly premises at 10am ready to resume office in accordance with the court order, but found some MCAs had arrived earlier to frustrate her return.
Confrontation started when some of the MCAs blocked her from entering her office. Those supporting her tried to push her into the office. Some of the female MCAs exchanged bitter insults and almost came to blows, forcing police and Assembly orderlies to intervene.
One camp led by Majority Leader Walter Muok vowed to block Ayoo from accessing her office while another camp led by former Majority Leader Richard Ogindo, who is the current Chief Whip fought to ensure she entered the office.
As the speaker escorted by her supporters elbowed her way into office, those opposed to her started shouting in dholuo: “Ayoo ok donji e asembli ni (Ayoo is not entering this assembly).”
But Ogindo’s camp fought back shouting, “Spika nyaka donji e asembli ni githuon (the Speaker must enter the assembly by force).”
More drama ensued when the pro-Muok MCAs tried to form a human shield at the entrance of the Speaker’s office to stop her from accessing it.
There was a brief scuffle as the Ogindo group, backed by hired youths pushed through the human barrier. During the struggle, a glass door leading to the Speakers office was broken.
The fight broke again after a short lull as verbal and physical exchanges ensued.
This went on for about an hour before order was rightfully restored.
Police officers led by Homa Bay Directorate of Criminal Investigations officer Joseph Tuksho and area OCPD Sammy Koskey ordered their officers to escort Ayoo into her office.
The tension was quelled when the speaker entered her office. She never presided of the assembly morning session contrary to expectation of many people.
Ayoo was impeached on Thursday last week after MCAs accused her of incompetence and bias.
Mrs Ayoo returned, only a day after her DePuty Evans Marieba took oath of office as the Acting Speaker.
The MCAs said they had impeached Ayoo because she had allegedly been partisan in her leadership of the assembly.
