Why Murang’a MCAs were forced to engage in a ‘stone’ fight.

Gatanga MCA Nahashon Gachuhi who was injured by some hired youth during the fracas at Sahara West Park in Ruaka, Kiambu County after a meeting organised by a section of Murang'a County Jubilee Party officials.

At least 3 people were yesterday injured after a disagreement during a meeting called by some Murang’a County MCAs at a Kiambu hotel.

The injured, 2 Ward Reps and a Jubilee Party official were part of a group that was opposed to former’s plot to ‘overthrow the current leadership in Murang’a County Assembly.

The exclusive meeting organised by the county's Jubilee Party chairman Simon Gikuru turned ugly after MCAs opposed to the ouster stormed in and disrupted the proceedings at Sahara West Park in Ruaka, Kiambu, accusing the organisers of plotting the ‘coup’ for selfish interests.

It is alleged that the meeting was on removing Majority leader Eric Kamande, Chief Whip Simon Wamwea and Deputy Chief Whip Ruth Wambui. MCAs linked to the three are said to have arrived into the venue uninvited but were locked out of the meeting for two hours and that when they were finally granted entry, they demanded to know why they had been kept off.

Trouble started when a section of the Jubilee Party officials who were in the meeting which kicked off at about 8am stormed out in objection of the planned replacement of the assembly leadership, saying the move was being done illegally.

Immediately after they stepped out of the meeting, it emerged that some MCAs had been barred from entering the hotel following an order from the MCAs and the management, forcing the aggrieved party officials to intervene and they were allowed in.

The two rival groups traded spats outside the hotel which escalated into a fistfight, forcing the conveners to instruct youths who were in the venue to eject their opponents on grounds that they were intending to disrupt the meeting.

During the fracas that ensued, Gatanga Ward MCA Nahashon Gachuhi suffered head injuries and bruises on the body after he was hit with a stone and roughed up by the youths while his Kamachari counterpart sustained serious bruises on his back, face and abdomen.

Murang’a Jubilee Party Deputy Secretary-General Charles Njoroge, who is also the Kigumo Constituency party chairman was injured on his lower jaw and got bruises following beatings from the youths who escorted them out of the hotel.

The three reported the matter at the neighbouring Runda Police Station and later sought treatment at the Agha Khan Hospital in Nairobi.

It is alleged that some of the 28 MCAs who were in the meeting had hired about 15 youths to attack their rivals.

When calm returned, the organisers addressed journalists and announced their new assembly leadership.

The 28 MCAs elected Kimorori Wempa's Amos Murigi as the Majority leader, Mbiri MCA Duncan Muturi as his deputy, Nominated MCA Joyce Wambui as Chief Whip and Mugumo-ini MCA Francis Githuka as the Deputy Chief Whip.

According to Murigi, they decided to change the House leadership on grounds of incompetence and selfish interest, arguing that it had failed in its mandate. However, those opposed to the move claimed that the team was being sponsored by external forces, some spearheaded by a principal secretary and prominent businessmen from the region with a view to destabilising Governor Mwangi Wa Iria’s government.

It is alleged the changes were influenced by local leaders keen on positioning themselves for 2022 general elections.

Sources in the assembly also indicate MCAs are split between supporting Governor Mwangi Wa Iria and Devolution Principal Secretary Irungu Nyakera.

The new Chief Whip is Nyakera's sister.

Those opposed to the move claim that the plot had been hatched by slightly above half the number of Jubilee MCAs who were unhappy because the Kamande-led team had refused to succumb to pressure from the members to craft plans to extort Governor Wa Iria through threats and intimidation.