Raila urges on referendum to discipline MCA’s

ODM leader Raila Odinga says the Constitution should be changed to improve the conduct of members of county assemblies and boost services to the people.

Speaking in Homa Bay, Mr Odinga said county assemblies had become “theatres of the absurd”.

Mr Odinga said this was unfortunate and an insult to the Kenyan electorate.

“The Kenyan society is saddened by the developments in our county assemblies. They have become theatres of the absurd hence there is an urgent need to rectify the situation in the upcoming referendum to improve services to the people,” Mr Odinga said.

He was speaking during the burial of veteran politician Elisha Aketch Chieng’ at Langi village in Ndhiwa.

Mr Odinga noted that instead of debating issues to improve people’s livelihoods, MCAs have resorted to ‘violence and thuggery’.

“We must initiate changes in the governance of our county assemblies so that they can provide services to the people instead of arguing all the time about allowances, car and house loans among other things,” he said.

Condemning the violence witnessed during chaotic scenes in county assemblies, Mr Odinga said: “It hurts me when I see a man fight someone’s wife when chaos breaks out in the county assemblies. The law does not allow you to attack even your own wife.”

Mr Odinga was accompanied by his wife Ida, Central Organisation of Trade Unions secretary-general Francis Atwoli, Senate Minority Leader James Orengo and ODM chairman John Mbadi.