There was drama in the parliament on Wednesday July 1, 2020 after two nominated Senators exchanged blows during the election of vice chair of the House Health committee.
According to a local daily, the two senators, Beatrice Kwamboka and Mary Seneta went physical moments after Narok Senator Ledama Olekina was declared the winner of the contested election that pitted him against Seneta.
Seneta was reportedly backed by a section of the committee members led by Deputy Majority Chief Whip Farhiya Ali.
According to senators who were at the meeting, Farhiya’s team allegedly forged a signature of nominated Senator Millicent Omanga to ensure Seneta won the seat.
Omanga did not attend the session and it was not immediately clear the candidate she was backing.
The alleged forgery of the signature triggered a bitter altercation between Kwamboka, who is the Deputy Minority Whip, and Seneta, leading to a physical fight that forced the meeting to end prematurely.
“You can not tell me anything , mimi ni mtu wa Raila Odinga (I’m in Raila Odinga’s team) and I am in the leadership, I will deal with you,” Kwamboka charged as she went for neck of Seneta.
Speaking to journalists moments after the confrontation, Ole Kina said he was shocked by the happenings, barely two months after he was unceremoniously removed from the County Public and Investment Committee by his party – ODM.
“How come I always have problems in every committee I am elected to lead? I was elected the chair of CPAIC, I was kicked out and now vice chair of health commitee” he said.
Ole Kina and Seneta are both from the Maa community. They hail from Narok and Kajiado respectively.
During the polls, Senator Michael Mbito (Transnzoia) was elected as the chair of the committee unopposed.
The election of vice chair was deferred following the chaos.