Drama as Garissa MCAs nearly come to blows amid leadership wrangles

Drama was on Friday witnessed at the Garissa County Assembly premises after two opposing political factions engaged in an altercation over occupation of the Majority Leader's office.

This came after the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party made changes in the county assembly’s leadership structure, picking Dadaab MCA Mohamed Abdi Farah as the new Majority Leader, replacing Abubakar Khalif.

Azimio went ahead to kick out Deputy Majority Leader, Sankuri Ward MCA Abdirahman Borr, replacing him with Abdirahman Muktar.

Majority Whip Abdi Ibrahim also lost his seat to Ahmed Abdirahman Sheikh, with Timira Bashir being named his deputy.

The changes, however, did not sit well with the Khalif-led team, which then rushed to court and secured an order reinstating them back to their respective offices pending the hearing and determination of the case.

The ousted team then went back and tried to access their offices, but found that the new leadership led by Farah had already occupied them.

Khalif’s team, armed with the court order which they claimed to have already served the County Assembly Clerk and Speaker, attempted to force their way into the offices in a bid to kick out the other group out.

Farah and his faction however stood their ground and remained rooted to their seats, demanding that proper procedure be followed.

They said they would only vacate the offices upon receiving communication from Speaker Abdi Idle, who – alongside Clerk Mohamed Santur – were nowhere at the Assembly premises at the time of the squabble.

The two sides - each claiming legitimacy - engaged in a confrontation which almost turned violent, but police officers were deployed to the scene to restore order.

Addressing the press afterwards, Farah and his allies said the new county leadership changes were carried out in accordance with the law.

Khalif and his ousted team, on the other hand, described the development as an illegal attempt orchestrated by a few members of the Azimio coalition party.