Khalwale Clashes With Senator Over Committee Probing Mwangaza's Impeachment

Kakamega senator, Boni Khalwale and nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba provided the key highlight of a showdown at the Senate's special sitting after the latter raised concerns regarding the 11-member committee formed to investigate Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza.

The verbal exchange between the two senators began on Tuesday, December 20 when Senator Orwoba opposed the special committee as well as the impeachment motion against Governor Mwangaza, arguing that women were underrepresented in the committee, given that they're only three women out of the 11.

She added that two of the committee members were former governors appointed to investigate Mwangaza, who would have been considered one of their own if they were still in power.

“Mr Speaker, I rise to oppose this motion simply because the matter that is at hand has many dynamics, and looking at the committee that has been put together, I do not think that the committee will meet the dynamics.

“The impeachment motion of this particular governor touches on a lot of gender issues, and when you look at this committee membership of 11, we only have three women," she complained.

Orwoba called for women to be fairly represented in the committee, which also consists of seven members allied to President William Ruto's Kenya Kwanza coalition.

She believed that Mwangaza should be given a platform by the Senate to defend herself, given that she has already been prosecuted in the court of public opinion.

“The divergent views that are brought to the floor of the house by the plenary way of impeachment will not be exercised in the committee. 

"We hoped for a Kamukunji, or some sought of collaboration, and Mr Speaker, I hate to be in this position because I support my party, but I am also a woman pushing for the two-third gender rule," she added.

Her remarks did not sit well with Senators, with Khalwale, who was appointed to the committee, among the Senators who questioned her call for equal gender representation.

"We would be catwalking if we thought that today we are meeting to make a decision on gender. Mr Speaker, you have read out the charges; not the first, not the second, none of them is about gender, it is about the issues we don't know about.

"I know that she has promised she wants to school me in matters of gender, really? I was elected by over 250,000 people in Kakamega; men and women and the women were the majority...so I know issues of gender, I have more than one wife, and I know matters of gender, she can't school me. Excuse me, my daughter, you must apologise to the bullfighter of Kakamega," Khalwale ranted as Kingi called an order in the House and responded, "Senator Boni, to us you are an honourable senator, we don't see you as a bullfighter."

Defiant, Senator Orwoba responded by stating "This is not a matter about bullfighting or how many women. It is a matter of representation." 

Leader of the majority, Aaron Cheruiyot, raised a point of order and challenged Senator Gloria to explain the basis of a former governor not serving in the committee.

“Mr Speaker, I need Senator Gloria to explain or cite a Standing Order indicating how a former governor should not serve in a committee. I need her to explain how these two senators being in the committee points that there's a general direction in which the committee is supposed to conduct its work," Senator Cheruiyot rebutted.

The Speaker held a special sitting in the Senate on Tuesday, December 20, recalling the senators to debate an impeachment motion and formed the 11-member committee which will table their report in 10 days.

33 senators have since voted to approve the special committee to investigate Meru Governor Mwangaza with two senators opposing the motion. The report is set to be tabled by Friday, December 30.

Aerial view of the Senate of Kenya in session. /STANDARD DIGITAL