Most Dramatic Fights That Broke Out in Kenyan Parliament

Sigowet Soin MP Benard Koros pictured bleeding and a snippet of the fight between Babu Owino and Charles Njagua.
Sigowet Soin MP Benard Koros pictured bleeding and a snippet of the fight between Babu Owino and Charles Njagua.
Kenyans.co.ke

On Wednesday, December 29, chaos broke out in the National Assembly during a special sitting to discuss the highly controversial Political Parties Amendment Bill (2021).

What began as chants tuned into a bloody fistfight that left Sigowet Soin MP Benard Koin and his Suba South counterpart with a bleeding eye and finger respectively.

The National Assembly'sMinority leader was consequently suspended from parliament for five consecutive sittings by the session chair Chris Omulele. However, the scuffle was not the first to happen in the August House.

Kenyans.co.ke looks at some of the ugliest brawls that have occurred in the house supposed to be occupied by honourable members.

A snippet of the fight between Babu Owino and Charles Njagua
A snippet of the fight between Babu Owino and Charles Njagua at the Parliament Media Centre on October 19, 2017.
Citizen TV

2017- BABU vs Jaguar

In October 19, 2017, Embakasi East MPPaul Ongili alias Babu Owino and his  Starehe counterpart Charles Njagua, were involved in a fistfight within parliament buildings.

Njagua is said to have trailed Babu to the  Parliament media centre after the latter made comments about President Uhuru Kenyatta that did not sit well with the former. The musician-turned-politician accused Babu of disrespecting Uhuru, accusing him of referring to him as a caretaker president.

Soon, the two began exchanging blows and had to be separated by the staff in the media centre. 

 

After the fight was settled, the duo was summoned by  the Powers and Privileges Committee for disciplinary action.



2014- The Controversial Security Bill

December 14, 2014, saw what is arguably the biggest brawl in parliament. National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi had called for a special sitting to discuss the Security Law Amendment Bill.

Jubilee and Cord MPs clashed after a request by the opposition legislators to have the timeline for submissions of amendments on the bill extended were denied by Speaker Muturi.

"I don't know what preparations you needed to do. Maybe you needed to visit some shrine to be prayed for" Muturi stated

Chaos erupted Suba MP John Mbadi walked across the house snatched the order paper from Asman Kamama, the then chair of the Security Select Committee. The bold yet daring action by Mbadi was what ignited the discord in the house.

The opposition began throwing papers in the house and even poured water on the then deputy speaker Joyce Laboso. As it would happen, the honourable members exchanged blows on the floor of the house.

Also roped into the fracas were five senators from the opposition including James Orengo, Johnstone Muthama, Moses Wetangula and Boni Khalwale - who were seated in the gallery. The five were attacked by Jubilee MPs and left the gallery bruised and in torn clothes.

At close of business, the speaker ruled in favour of the pro-government MPs who had the tyranny of numbers.

 

Kajwang vs Mwenje

On January 20, 2000, the MPs had convened in parliament for serious business- to discuss a no-confidence motion against the then Vice President George Saitoti.

The discussion was highlighted when the then MP for Mbita Otieno Kajwang and Embakasi lawmaker David Mwenje traded blows in Parliament during recess.

As Kajwang made his submission before the house, Mwenje, who was allied to Saitoti, kept cutting in on the former's speech with several points of order. The Vice President's ally opined that his colleague had no moral right to question Saitoti's integrity.

The two decided to have a go at each other in the lobby. With no official winner declared, Mwenje was clearly overpowered.

He showed journalist bite marks on his shoulder he claimed were inflicted by Kajwang. The altercation boiled over to the next day as Mwenje brought 10 goons from across city slums to 'teach Kajwang a lesson'.



David Murathe  vs Stephen Ndicho

David Murathe is no new name to controversy. However, an incident in parliament nearly two decades back was one that escalated to regrettable heights.

While serving as Gatanga MP, Murathe lost control and punched his colleague from Juja, Stephen Ndicho in parliament in July 1999. Ndicho is the current speaker for the Kiambu County Assembly. 

“Ndicho and Murathe threw fists at each other as other and the honourable members tried to separate them,” read the July 28 Parliamentary Hansard.

Murathe was agitated by comments by Ndicho, who accused him of being a suspect in the murder of a Githurai councillor (now Member of County Assembly) Wa Njuguna.

Ndicho, in whose constituency Githurai was at the time, took offence after Murathe asked for a ministerial statement on the death of a suspect accused of murdering the councillor.

He interpreted the request by Murathe as mischief, questioning what his interests were in his constituency. Ndicho faced Murathe's undivided wrath.

The two were suspended from house proceedings for three days. They later made amends and apologised for their behaviour. 

Lawmakers seated in Parliament
Lawmakers seated in Parliament.
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