A Member of Parliament from the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) on Wednesday staged a dramatic walk out from the coalition's sitting side in Parliament.
The lawmaker was among five MPs who crossed the floor to sit on the Government side of the House, amid a heated afternoon session at the National Assembly.
The five include; John Munuve (Mwingi North), Regina Ndambuki (Kilome), Joe Mutambu (Kitui Central) Khatib Mwashetani (Lunga Lunga) and Kwale's Zainab Chidzuga.
MP Munuve sharply criticised CORD claiming he felt 'liberated' from dictatorial tendencies by the coalition's leadership.
“I have been constrained very badly by the fact that people with obviously mediocre brains have had to masquerade as leaders and decided that they have a monopoly of knowledge and decided I cannot think independently,” Muneve said.
Munuve's remarks seemed to have angered the Opposition leadership, which responded seeking the Speaker's intervention, claiming that the Mwingi North MP had used unparliamentary language.
“Is he in order Mr Speaker, to refer to his colleagues – whoever wrote the letters in line with the Political Parties Act – that they have mediocre brains? Can he substantiate, Mr Speaker? We were all elected into this House, we are equal and no member should be allowed to insult others,” Minority Deputy Whip Chris Wamalwa inquired.
However, Majority Leader in the National Assembly Aden Duale welcomed the 'rebel' MPs assuring them of support.
"You have come to the people who love you. We will sort you out," Duale teased in Parliament.
The Garissa township MP further warned CORD that more Opposition legislators would soon cross over to the Jubilee coalition.
Consequently, a section of Opposition members disapproved the move by their counterparts to shift political allegiance, demanding intervention by the Speaker on whether the action amounted to formal defection.
Speaker Justin Muturi, however, clarified that the members were at liberty to sit anywhere they wanted in the house.
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