Violence erupted in Kenya’s parliament on Thursday night after a judgement by the Speaker resolved a tie in the number of MPs held by each coalition.
To the dismay of the opposition, the Speaker ruled that the 179-member Kenya Kwanza (Kenya first) coalition should be recognised as the majority in parliament.
The speaker stated that the opposition has 157 legislators. The placing of 14 legislators whose parties had previously been affiliated with the opposition Azimio la Umoja (Quest for unity) alliance became the central issue in the discussion.
Members of the opposition party maintained that the constitutional deadline for leaving a coalition government had not been met.
In protest of the decision, one member of the opposition attempted to seize the mace, the emblem of legislative authority. As a result of the fight that broke out during Thursday night’s session, the live broadcast had to be halted.
Parliamentary brawls are a typical occurrence in Kenyan politics, and the country’s politicians are widely perceived to be fiercely partisan.
