National Assembly Majority Leader Amos Kimunya has written to Speaker Justin Muturi requesting for a three-day special sitting to conclude Political Parties Bill amendments derailed on Wednesday night.
Kimunya wants the House to reconvene from 5th-7th January 2022 to finalize amendments on the contentious Bill.
“Madam speaker I want to take this opportunity to report to this house that I have already signed a request to the Hon. Speaker for a Special Sittings on the 5th, 6th and the 7th next week so that we can be able to finish this process,” Kimunya told the House on Wednesday night.
The House adjourned at midnight after a long process marred by chaos, name-calling and fistfights as pro-handshake MPs flexed muscles with their counterparts allied to Deputy President William Ruto.
Sigowet/Soin MP Kipsengeret Koros was injured in the melee. Minority Leader John Mbadi who was accused of attacking the lawmaker was ejected from the House for acting in a disorderly manner. He will miss five consecutive sittings.
Read: Kipsengeret Koros Injured As MPs Engage in Fist Fight Over Parties Bill
The MPs only managed to conclude 4 out of 23 amendments that were proposed to the Bill. This was as a result of delay tactics employed by legislators allied to Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.
Notably, the vote by acclamation where the louder group have their way was frustrated in all the instances.
Session chairs were forced to adopt the division method, a process that involves physical counting of members voting.
Read Also: Ruto-allied MPs Walk Out of JLAC Meeting Ahead of Parties’ Law Debate
The Ruto camp suffered defeat in their proposed amendments with the MPs allied to President Uhuru Kenyatta and his handshake partner Raila Odinga carrying the day.
The move by Kandara MP Wahome to have the requirement procedure for the formation of a coalition political party in the Political Parties Amendment Bill of 2021 expunged from the bill was defeated.
A total of 158 MPs voted against the MP’s proposals while 134 voted to have the amendment adopted.
Earlier, Garissa Township MP Aden Duale’s move to amend Clause five of the Bill was defeated.
Read Also: DP Ruto Claims Police Abducted, Tortured Dennis Itumbi
A total of 150 MPs voted against Duale’s amendment, while 136 voted in support.
The ‘Tanga Tanga’ team secured their first and only victory in the morning after voting to adopt amendments by Tigania West MP John Mutunga. 123 MPs voted for the amendment against the handshake team’s 118.
The MP had among others proposed amendments to have specific colours for dominant parties.
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