Minority Leader in the National Assembly John Mbadi was on Thursday kicked out of the House for making a disparaging remark against President Uhuru Kenyatta.
While contributing to a procedural motion on Thursday morning, Mbadi said “he has no President”.
“As we prepare to go to recess today, there is no need of being recalled to approve anything by the president because as far as I am concerned, there is no sitting president,” said the Suba South MP as quoted by Daily Nation.
Speaker Justin Muturi interjected and directed him to withdraw and apologize over the remark.
“I have ordered you the leader of minority to either withdraw the statement or face the consequences, which you know. I will not allow such statements to be made under my watch,” said Muturi.
“Some statements you are comfortable making outside there and not within this chamber. When you are outside there, you can say anything you want and will get away with it but not here under my watch.”
However, a defiant Mbadi was not ready to withdraw his statement or apologize prompting the Speaker to ask him to withdraw from the House for the rest of the day’s sitting.
“I cannot withdraw the obvious. I rather withdraw from the House than withdraw the statement,” he said in defiance before he walked out.
His response was met with jeers by his colleagues, presumably from Jubilee Party.
Minority Whip, Junet Mohammed in defense of Mbadi said he was pledging his allegiance to the “People’s President”- Raila Odinga.
“I have seen our leader thrown out for just affirming his allegiance to the ‘people’s president’. He did not actually say there is no president.”
NASA has maintained they will not recognize Uhuru as the duly elected President. They say he is “illegitimately” in office.