A major row is brewing between the offices of Nakuru Senator James Mungai and that of the Nakuru County government and the county assembly.
Mungai has threatened to boycott meetings convened by the two institutions because of ‘embarrassing him in public by failing to follow protocol’.
His anger emanated from the burial of Nakuru nominated MCA Damaris Mbuthia, where Mungai said protocol was not followed when VIPs addressed mourners.
During the burial ceremony, Mungai was invited to speak, after MPs Mary Mbugua, Kimani Ngunjiri and Samuel Arama had spoken, only for Nakuru County assembly leader of majority Waithuki Njane to take the microphone. Njane make a lengthy speech during which he also introduced over 70 MCAs who were present.
At the end of his address, Njane called speaker Susan Kihika to address the mourners after firing a salvo at the senate, saying it was overstepping its mandate by pushing for the establishment of boards at the county level that will be chaired by elected senators.
An MCA who was privy to arranging speech-making order said there was nothing wrong with the arrangements.
“The first to speak were to be MPs then senators and then we come back to the county level where the MCAs’ representative spoke followed by the speaker who then invited the last speaker, who was the governor,” said the MCA, who did not want to be named.
He accused Mungai of overplaying the issue, adding that the event was a burial and county affair and not a national issue where top people in government are given priority.
Mungai told our reporter on phone that he would write a protest letter, which if not acted upon will see him boycotting such forums.
According to Mungai, either he, Governor Mbugua or Vihiga Governor Moses Akaranga should have spoken last.