Kakamega Senator Boniface Khalwale was on Tuesday kicked out of Senate chambers after alleging that it was former President Uhuru Kenyatta who rescued activists Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo from detention in Uganda.
Khalwale’s eviction form Senate came after he compared the case of the activists and other Kenyans locked up in foreign countries, while the government makes minimal efforts to secure their release.
“On this issue of these children who are locked up out of the country, they are no different from the two Kenyan political activists who were locked up in Uganda. It disturbs me that it took the intervention of the former president and not the current president,” Khalwale alleged.
However, Khalwale’s sentiments drew mixed reactions in the House, with Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei slamming him for making unfounded claims against the very government that appointed him Senate Majority Whip.
“Mr Speaker, you know we must stick to the rules. When the Senator, a Chief Whip of the government, goes on record and says that the former President intervened for the release of Kenyans, can he provide the evidence before this House
He added, “Because we don’t want hearsays from some dens in Ikolomani coming to Senate. He should make such hearsays there in Kakamega and stay there, don’t bring those things here.”
In a quick rejoinder, Khalwale maintained that his accusations were valid and did not require any further substantiation.
“From my experience, Cherargei should know that a ruling has been made that a member is not expected to substantiate the obvious,” Khalwale stated.
Speaker Kingi who seemed to be taking sides with Senator Cherargei, ordered Khalwale to back up his claims with evidence.
With the Kakamega Senator unyielding to the Speaker’s calls to withdraw and apologize, he was ruled out of order and asked to leave the chamber.
“If you cannot substantiate, the other option is not to keep quiet; keeping quiet is not an option under our Standing Orders. If you cannot substantiate, you proceed to withdraw and apologise,” the Speaker affirmed.
“You are choosing to stay silent; therefore, it means you failed to substantiate, and the natural consequence will flow, and I will rule you out of order and ask you to leave the chamber,” Kingi ordered.
