Mbadi wants Mps to condemn harassment of senators

National Assembly Minority Leader John Mbadi has called on Mps to put their weight behind their colleagues in the senate who are being arrested.

Mbadi said they should condemn the arrests because the same thing might equally happen to them.

“When we see senators being harassed and arbitrarily arrested, we should not keep quiet as it could also happen to us. We must condemn such acts regardless of our political persuasions,” said Mbadi. The Suba South lawmaker was speaking during the Third Leadership Retreat of House Leadership held at Ole Sereni hotel on Tuesday. His remarks were made in reference to last week's arrest of senators Cleophas Malala (Kakamega), Christopher Lang’at (Bomet) and Steve Leleg’we of Samburu.

They were arrested on August 17 and released later,pushing the  Senate Special Sitting to debate on the Third Basis Revenue Formula to be adjourned. Mbadi said that there have been cases where MPs have been targets of harassment by other forces outside the parliament to gag their voice on the floor. “It is paramount for MPs to stand together and condemn such acts in the spirit of the Doctrine of Exclusive Cognisance.” The event was also attended by the Speaker of National Assembly Justin Muturi , Majority leader Amos Kimunya and the House Committee Chairs. The meeting will assess the success so far of transacting House business and consider avenues for continuity of House business, both in plenary and in Committees during the current covid-19 pandemic. Mbadi, however, accused the senators of missing the opportunity to put the country first in approaching a suitable formula. The debate has hit a snag nine times.