Drama ensued in the Garissa County Assembly on Tuesday after Members of County Assembly engaged in a physical altercation in the chambers following a disagreement on house leadership positions.
The chaos broke out after House Speaker Abdi Idle Gure rose to announce changes proposed by the majority side regarding the house leadership.
While addressing the house, Speaker Gure announced that Mohammed Abdi would take over the role of Majority Leader, replacing Abubakar Khalif from the Orange Democratic Movement Party (ODM).
However, a group of MCAs affiliated to Azimio objected, insisting that the speaker should adhere to the the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) which had temporarily suspended these changes.
Amid the chaos, members of opposing sides resorted to physical altercations and exchanged heated verbal insults, all transpiring before the speaker could convey any more announcements or communicate the changes.
Due to the escalating chaos, and with no changes implemented yet, the Speaker was whisked away from the chambers.
The Azimio faction fronting the changes was seeking to replace both the Majority Leader and the Majority Whip, but the changes were temporarily halted by the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal (PPDT).
The Tribunal's decision came after two MCAs from the Assembly, Abubakar Khalif from ODM and Abdi Ibrahim of the Jubilee Party filed complaints seeking to prevent the leadership changes until their case was determined.
"That pending the hearing and determination of the application, an interim order is hereby issued staying the implementation of the decision and the declaration of the Speaker of the County Assembly of Garissa pursuant to 2 letters, all dated September 3, on the replacement of the 1st and 2nd complainants as the Majority Party Leader and Majority Whip in the County Assembly of Garissa," the PPDT said in its ruling.
Mohammed Abdi who was set to replace Abubakar Khalif as the Majority Leader welcomed the changes implemented by the speaker, saying they would go a long way in enhancing service delivery.
''It has gone well because that is what we expected. Azimio La Umoja chose me as the majority leader,'' said Mohammed Abdi.
Abubakar Khalif said he will file a suit against the speaker for disobeying the order from the political parties tribunal.
