Mr. Beauttah Mr. Omanga, a media practitioner, has stated that the Speaker of the National Assembly, Moses Wetangula, significantly failed Kenyans when he missed a crucial opportunity to prevent the chaos on Tuesday that resulted in fatalities and widespread damage.
Omanga argued that Wetangula had a historic chance to make a wise, impactful decision that could have averted the unprecedented turmoil in the country.
He said at the time the controversial 2024-2025 Finance Bill was being voted on, tensions were already escalating nationwide.
"One would have expected the speaker, even without consulting anybody, to suspend the debate, and order the people's representatives to ventilate on the countrywide demonstrations.
"I am sure even MPs in the house were aware of what was happening in their home towns through social media courtesy of their mobile phones." he said on the Standard newspaper.
Mr. Beauttah Omanga, in the Standard newspaper, questioned why the MPs did not take action to ease the growing national tension during their debates, even if the Speaker of the House was metaphorically "blind and deaf" as per the house rules.
He expressed agreement with the president, the church, former President Uhuru Kenyatta, and opposition leaders Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka in condemning the consequences of a particularly troubling day. However, he placed full blame on the MPs for failing to prevent the situation, stating that they had let the Kenyan people down.
Omanga added that one would have expected the Speaker to summon the house leadership for urgent consultations with the aim of suspending the vote to calm the nation.
He suggested that the Speaker should have returned to the debating chambers and guided the MPs to discuss the chaos related to their deliberations.
Omanga believes that if this had happened, the intensity of the protestors' anger—provoked by the MPs' swift and overwhelming approval of the finance bill despite demands for its suspension—would have been mitigated.
"Luckily, protests by Gen Z compelled the the president not to sign it into law. He returned the bill to the house for further action. Mr Speaker, Kenya as we found it, has been an epitome of peace in the region and you have an obligation of retaining it there by listening and acting according to the wishes of the church and majority of Kenyans.
"For failing to act to save and protect the integrity of the house, Moses Wetangula should simply resign. " he added.
Here is the link
https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/opinion/article/2001498176/wetangula-an-opportunity-to-avert-chaos-but-he-didnt-he-should-resign