The Senate convened on Thursday, January 19, for a special sitting to debate on IEBC (Amendment) Bill, 2022 following a Gazette Notice.
The senators reconvened from recess to debate on whether to adjust the guidelines on persons selecting IEBC commissioners.
This follows the exits of IEBC chairperson Wafula Chebukati, and commissioners Abdi Guliye and Boya Molu, whose non-renewable six-year terms came to end on Tuesday, January 18.
During the special senate proceeding, lawmakers who were not physically present were allowed to join the proceedings remotely.
However, Kitu Senator Enoch Wambua was barred from addressing the house over what the speaker termed as a poor dress code.
The Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party lawmaker had joined the proceedings via zoom.
Senate Speaker Amason Kingi however insisted that he will not allow the legislator to contribute to the matter before the house when his camera was off.
“You may not be able to proceed before you put your camera on because we need to know your location and how you’re dressed,” the Speaker said.
After switching on his camera, Kitui Senator was captured dressed in a red tracksuit bearing a badge of the Kenyan flag.
This prompted the speaker to switch off senator Wambua’s connection saying that his dress code does not meet the required standards of the Senate.
The speaker said that Wambua’s dressing code suggested that the senator might have been proceeding to a soccer pitch but not in a Senate.
“Your dress does not meet the dress code as required by the standards of the Senate. You may be proceeding to a soccer pitch. I am afraid you may not proceed to make your contribution because you’re not dressed appropriately,” Speaker Amason Kingi said.
Wambua’s plea to the speaker to allow him some time to debate saying the matter was of great national importance fell on a deaf ear.
