Kisumu – There was shouting at the gates, guards blocking the way, and claims of political sabotage. Tension turned into chaos on Tuesday morning at the Homa Bay County Assembly as a section of Members of County Assembly (MCAs) were denied entry just hours before a planned attempt to impeach Majority Leader Richard Ogindo.
The gates were manned not by official assembly staff, but by unidentified men who refused to let in several MCAs. It’s still unclear who deployed them.
Inside the compound, the atmosphere was no less charged. Supporters and opponents of Ogindo traded accusations, even as security tried to keep the peace. The County Assembly session could not proceed as planned.
“We were stopped for no reason. This is intimidation,” said one MCA, visibly angry after being denied entry. “Some of us have travelled long distances only to be blocked from doing our job.”
At the centre of the storm is Majority Leader Richard Ogindo, a man who has found himself increasingly isolated in recent weeks. A faction of MCAs is accusing him of corruption and high-handedness, and had planned to table an impeachment motion against him during Tuesday’s sitting.
Specifically, Ogindo is alleged to have locked out some MCAs from accessing car grants financial benefits extended to county legislators unless they agreed to pay kickbacks.
“He’s been playing dirty politics with our welfare,” said another MCA, who asked not to be named. “This house can’t function if the leadership acts like it owns it.”
A total of 22 MCAs are said to have signed the impeachment petition. That number would be enough to force a vote. However, 21 others reportedly declined to support the motion exposing deep divisions within the assembly.
Efforts by officials from the county executive to broker a truce have so far failed. “They tried to convince us to shelve the motion,” one member told The Times, “but too many people are angry.”
Ogindo, for his part, has denied any wrongdoing. He has not spoken publicly since the morning’s events but sources close to him say he believes the impeachment effort is politically motivated.
A spokesperson for the assembly said investigations are under way to determine who barred the MCAs from entering the compound and whether any laws were broken in doing so.
By midday, the assembly remained locked down, with dozens of legislators milling outside, unsure whether they’d be allowed in to vote or if the session would even take place.
“We’re witnessing democracy being strangled,” said another opposition-aligned MCA. “This kind of lawlessness has no place in a county government.”
As the political standoff deepens, residents of Homa Bay are watching with concern wondering how long the power struggle will last, and what it will cost in the delivery of services.
For now, the gates remain closed. And the county assembly, meant to be the heart of local governance, is in limbo.
