The mace, also known as the sceptre, is the symbol of authority of the House and the chair or speaker - thus, a lawmaker can be suspended for up to 28 Parliamentary days if he or she grabs it.
Article 103 of the Constitution details that an MP can be removed from office for missing eight consecutive sittings.
In May 1956, the late Queen Elizabeth of England authorised Kenya’s legislative council's (LegCo) assembly to own a mace.
Made of African teak (Mvuli wood), the mace was placed in the house in November 1956. It was later replaced by one made of ivory and silver gilt.
At that time, Kenya was going through a state of emergency declared on October 20, 1952, by the governor of Kenya, Sir Evelyn Baring.
The mace enters the chamber carried shoulder high by the Serjeant-at-Arms when the speaker enters the chamber. It is removed when the speaker exits the chamber. The Serjeant-at-Arms is the custodian of the mace that weighs 12.5 kilograms.
The larger side of the mace that bears the coat of arms points in the direction of the majority party in Parliament.
A member of parliament (MP) is supposed to bow at the entrance of the chambers if the mace is in place.
According to Parliament’s standing orders, grabbing the mace is considered gross misconduct.
Historically, the mace was used as a weapon during close-quarters combat.
MPs usually grab the mace as a sign of protest. In June 1997, some opposition MPs attempted to grab the mace to disrupt the budget presentation by then Minister of Finance, Musalia Mudavadi. The speaker ordered them out of the chamber.
More recently, in 2014, MPs from the minority side attempted to grab the mace to curtail proceedings on the Security Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2014, which then-President Uhuru Kenyatta advanced.
