This archive report was first published on 9 October 2019.
On October 9, 2019, the Employment and Labour Relations Court reinstated Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Beatrice Elachi, ending her 13-month absence from office.
However, her return was short-lived as a section of MCAs rejected her reinstatement and blocked her from accessing her office.
As tensions escalated, teargas canisters were lobbed to disperse the warring factions at the assembly.
This was the third time MCAs had disobeyed court orders directing Elachi to resume her duties as Speaker.
Elachi accused Majority leader Abdi Guyo of orchestrating her ouster and causing disruptions every time she was reinstated.
"If I die today, the Majority leader of this Assembly should be held accountable. I am ready for anything because I am a team leader and a team leader dies with the team," she said.
Elachi's reinstatement was met with resistance from a section of MCAs, who had previously ousted her in 2018 on grounds of abuse of office, graft, and questionable academic qualifications.
During the censure motion, 103 out of 107 MCAs voted for her removal from office.
