National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has ordered the immediate exclusion of Kitutu Chache South MP Anthony Kibagendi from all sittings of the National Assembly and its committees, following remarks in which the MP allegedly claimed that Parliament had been “auctioned” and reduced to an appendage of the Executive.
The Speaker directed that the Kitutu Chache South legislator remain barred from accessing the chamber, committee sittings and even his parliamentary office until he submits a “properly worded apology” to the Clerk for approval.
“Honourable Kibagendi, you will be excluded from the sitting of this House until you bring a properly worded apology not to me, I am used to being insulted but to the House, for bringing the House into disrepute,” ruled Mr Wetang’ula.
“That apology should be delivered to the Clerk. It will be looked at carefully. If the wording is acceptable, it will be brought to the House and you will be allowed to come back. For now, you are excluded from the proceedings of this House, the precincts of Parliament, committee sittings, including your office.”
The Speaker directed the Sergeant-at-Arms to ensure the MP does not access parliamentary facilities, declaring him “a stranger in the House and in the precincts of Parliament” until he complies.
The matter was raised through a point of order by Laikipia North MP Sarah Korere who faulted the Kitutu Chache South MP for allegedly making disparaging remarks about the Speaker and the leadership of the House during a televised morning talk show.
“The Office of the Speaker embodies the authority and dignity of this August House,” Ms. Korere said.
“An attack on the Office of the Speaker is not just an attack on you, Honourable Speaker, but an attack on this House itself.”
She told the House that the remarks including claims that the Speaker had “auctioned the House” undermined parliamentary decorum and violated long-standing Commonwealth traditions that demand respect for the Chair.
“These remarks are contemptible, given that we all know the Speaker presides on the principle of impartiality and is guarded by the rules of the House,” she added, seeking guidance on whether Mr. Kibagendi should continue sitting in the House and its committees.
Her sentiments were echoed by Uashi Gishu Woman Representative Gladys Boss who termed the comments “disorderly” and accused the MP of casting aspersions on the character of the Speaker and Parliament without affording them an opportunity to respond.
“It was unfair and unbecoming of a Member of Parliament to cast aspersions on the character of the Speaker when he was not present to defend himself,” she said, urging that the maximum disciplinary measures be considered.
Wetang’ula described the episode as “contempt in the face of the House,” saying he had personally watched the programme in which the remarks were made.
“I was horrified to hear Honourable Kibagendi say that this House has been auctioned. I do not know where the auction ring was or who was holding the hammer,” the Speaker said.
He rejected claims that the House operates as an appendage of the Executive, defending the independence of his office.
“The Speaker of this House does not have a vote. The Speaker does not participate in debate. The Speaker does not generate debate. The Speaker does not bring any Motion or Bill to this House,” he said.
“Even when you vote, I appoint tellers who bring me the outcome. I do not even count those votes.”
Wetang’ula further declared that since assuming office, no one had attempted to influence his decisions.
“I want to tell this House and the country for the record: since I became your Speaker and I am a God-fearing and practising Christian nobody, and I repeat nobody, has ever called me to tell me what to do or not to do. And if anybody did, I would reject it,” he said.
“I took an oath to preside without fear, favour, prejudice or ill will, and I have done so diligently.”
While conceding that he could make errors in interpretation, the Speaker insisted that his rulings are anchored in law.
“I am human. I could have made an erroneous ruling. I could have made a ruling that displeases anybody. But the rulings I make are traced by the law,” he said.
Wetang’ula told the MP that if he believed Parliament had been auctioned, he too would be implicated.
“For you as a Member of this House to say the House has been auctioned, then you have no business to sit in an auction house. The moment you say the House is auctioned, you are part of the auctioned material,” he said.
He urged MPs to exercise restraint in public forums, warning that their words reflect on the institution.
“When you go to TV, know that the whole world is watching. Your wife is watching. Your children are watching. Your constituents are watching. You are privileged to be among 290 constituency Members, plus 47 county women representatives, out of 56 million Kenyans to represent the people. You carry enormous responsibility,” he said.
Leader of Majority Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu) supported the Speaker’s decision, citing Standing Order 107 on disorderly conduct.
“A Member commits an act of disorderly conduct if the Member makes allegations without adequate substantiation,” Mr Ichung’wah said. “If you listened to Honourable Kibagendi this morning, he had no substantiation of how this House has been auctioned.”
He described the remarks as shameful and said the dignity of the institution must be safeguarded.
“It is not about the person of the Speaker. It is about the dignity of this House. When we are said to have been auctioned and we do not take a position, we all stand accused,” he said, warning that further action including referral to the Powers and Privileges Committee could follow if the apology is not satisfactory.
Migori Woman Representative Fatuma Mohamed also weighed in, criticising the Kitutu Chache South MP and apologising to the House on his behalf, even as she questioned his legislative record.
The Speaker, however, cautioned Members against personal attacks and urged senior legislators to mentor first-term MPs on parliamentary conduct.
“As long as I am your Speaker, I will protect your dignity and the dignity of this House,” Wetang’ula said, drawing applause from Members across the aisle.
