No peace at Nyamira Assembly as one faction drags feet to truce

Efforts to reconcile warring factions of the Nyamira County Assembly failed Tuesday after the group led by embattled Speaker Enock Okero refused to join the other group during the House's reopening, alleging assassination plans.

Okero's group developed cold feet in honouring the truce that was brokered in a meeting that was chaired by County Commissioner Erastus Mbui on Monday afternoon, following what MCAs allied to the wing was a plan to harm some of them alongside Speaker Okero if they turned out at the precincts of the House.

Lameck Nyakianga, MCA for Itibo, who is a member of the Okero faction, addressed journalists Tuesday afternoon, said a politician from Nyamira, in cahoots with some Ward Reps from the other faction, had hired armed goons who he said had camped at the Assembly overnight to prevent entry of members of the Okero group to the Assembly chambers.

This was after photos and videos of Assembly staff drinking assorted alcoholic drinks in what was believed to be one of the offices of the County Assembly while chanting negative messages against Okero as they praised his rival, Thaddeus Nyabaro, went viral on social media.

In the videos, the staff, most of whom were security officers from the Sergeant-at-arms' office, sat in the office, dancing and singing in a scene that would pass for a night vigil.

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Nyakianga said the emergence of the videos confirmed fears that Nyabaro's squad had organised for chaos at the Assembly and that the faction had made nonsense of the earlier agreement of keeping peace as a condition of the sides meeting at the Chambers for a fresh start.

"We are aware that two senior politicians from Nyamira funded the staff and goons and bought alcohol for them to cause chaos at the House. We couldn't walk into their trap," said Nyakianga.

According to Mr Mbui, the Hois was to reconvene without Nyabaro and Okero as a preliminary to the peace-making process.

Mbui said instead of the two, it was agreed that two members of the Speakers panel from either faction were to take control of the business while a way forward with the impasse was sought.

"We had an elaborate reconciliation meeting that brought together all the MCAs, but it's bad that they could not honour the agreement we had made," said the County Commissioner.

 Nyabaro's faction, however, denied any involvement in any of the alleged insecurity incidents at the County Assembly.

"Those are just lame excuses for not wanting to relent in these issues, which are dragging our county behind," said Kemera Ward Rep James Matinga.

The Nyabaro-led camp yesterday suffered a major political setback after some of the Representatives who have been siding with him ditched his camp and joined the Okero camp.

The Okero faction went ahead to continue with its Bunge Mashinani sittings at Rigoma MCAs' offices in Keroka Town.

The Nyabaro faction also conducted its business at the Nyamira Assembly main chambers, but it was the Okero faction that had the main business, which included processing three bills that may be due for enactment soon. 

“How do you expect us to go to a place where there are hired drunk goons whose mission was to kill us, particularly the legitimate speaker, Mr.Enock Okero,“ Rigima MCA Nyambega Gisesa remarked.

According to Gisesa, police never took up security at the Assembly seriously, but instead left goons to rule the House compound.

“How can the police officers watch and keep mum when it has been reported to them that there were some hired goons in the assembly with deadly weapons? “ he posed.

"How county Assembly offices can be turned into a bar and a war zone when security officers are watching and keeping quiet,“ Mekenene Ward Rep Mr Alfayo Ngeresa remarked.

They demanded the immediate arrest of the hired goons, who they said were very well known and had already been reported to the police.

In the Bunge Mashanani sitting, the county budget estimates for the year 2025/2026 and the 3rd quarter Budget implementation report 2024/2025 were tabled and three bills touching the department of health and medical services.

Thaddeus Nyabaro who was expected to chair his camp's sitting as the speaker, failed to turn up at the county Assembly and his group picked Kemera ward MCA Mr James Matinga to chair the session.

MCA’s Julius Matwere, Vincent Benecha and Michel Kemuma dismissed the Bunge Mashinani outfit, saying it was illegal and it was going nowhere.

Matinga asked the Mashinani group to swallow their pride and come back to the main Assembly so that they can transact business that will hold the county.

Matinga hit out the Nyamira county governor, Mr Amos Nyaribo who he said was mainly to blame for the leadership wrangles which are currently riddling the Nyamira county Assembly.

Both Assemblies adjourned their sittings for two weeks to give room for further consultation on restoring harmony and peace.