Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and Starehe MP Charles Njagua, also known as Jaguar, were compelled to apologize on the floor of the National Assembly after a physical confrontation in Parliament.
Deputy Speaker Moses Cheboi, who chaired the sitting, directed the two lawmakers to face the House and account for their conduct. The matter had already been examined by the Powers and Privileges Committee, which found that their actions lowered the dignity and integrity of the National Assembly.
The committee said the conduct amounted to a breach of privilege and cited Section 41 of the Leadership and Integrity Act as well as Section 17(3) of the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act. Its report stated that the two MPs were required to apologize to the House and to fellow members for behavior that reflected badly on Parliament.
Limuru MP Peter Mwathi, who serves as vice chair of the Powers and Privileges Committee, tabled the report before the House. Members later adopted it unanimously.
Majority Leader Aden Duale backed the committee’s position and said the two legislators had violated the parliamentary powers and privileges law. He warned that younger members would not be allowed to embarrass the House and said continued misconduct could cost them party support.
During the debate, National Assembly Minority Leader John Mbadi raised the issue of other assault complaints that he said had not been handled in the same way. He referred to the case of Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo and said the House should apply the same standards to all members.
Mbadi said the matter involving Millie had never been brought before the Powers and Privileges Committee, despite what he described as physical and sexual assault. Deputy Speaker Cheboi stopped him from pursuing that line further.
Millie later rose to support the report, but she reminded the House that she remained a victim of physical and sexual assault linked to the passage of the Security Amendment Bill in 2015. She said she was still waiting for acknowledgement that what happened to her was wrong.
“I was physically attacked and sexually assaulted. What was done to me was wrong and have been waiting for just an acknowledgement that the assault was wrong even if it will wait for 50 years,” said Millie.
When he apologized, Babu said: “Mr Speaker it is not true that I slapped Hon Njagua. It’s only that his cheeks came close to my hand,” prompting Cheboi to order him to repeat the apology.
The episode followed a committee finding under the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act, 2017, and revived debate in the House over how Parliament handles misconduct and assault allegations involving its members.
