Uhuru Dragged Into Uganda Activists’ Saga as Khalwale Sparks Uproar in Senate
Khalwale, who also serves as Senate Majority Whip, compared the ordeal of Kenyan nationals stranded abroad to the 39-day detention of activists Bob Njagi and Nick Oyoo in Uganda, where they were reportedly held incommunicado by the country’s military special forces
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale was dramatically ejected from the Senate on Tuesday after refusing to retract statements suggesting that former President Uhuru Kenyatta, and not President William Ruto, intervened to secure the release of two Kenyan activists detained in Uganda
The incident sparked heated exchanges among lawmakers, highlighting tensions over freedom of speech and adherence to parliamentary rules
Khalwale, who also serves as Senate Majority Whip, compared the ordeal of Kenyan nationals stranded abroad to the 39-day detention of activists Bob Njagi and Nick Oyoo in Uganda, where they were reportedly held incommunicado by the country’s military special forces
Amnesty International later confirmed that the activists’ release followed high-level negotiations, reportedly involving Uhuru Kenyatta. Khalwale questioned why the former president, rather than the current president, had to intervene
His remarks drew immediate objection from Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, who demanded Khalwale provide evidence or withdraw his claims
“We must stick to the rules, Mr Speaker. Can he provide the evidence before this House because we don’t want hearsay from chang’aa drinking dens?” Cherargei said, dismissing the comments as unfit for parliamentary debate
Speaker Amason Kingi repeatedly asked Khalwale to comply with the directive to either substantiate his remarks or apologize. Khalwale refused, citing constitutional guarantees of free speech and accusing some legislators of intimidation
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He argued that his long political career equipped him with a better understanding of parliamentary practice
When Khalwale attempted to avoid confrontation by remaining silent, Kingi ruled that silence was unacceptable in the face of the directive and formally ordered the senator to leave the chamber for the rest of the day’s sitting
This was not Khalwale’s first clash in the Senate; three weeks ago, he was directed to adjust his attire for breaching the Senate’s dress code by wearing a turtleneck sweater instead of the required coat, tie, and formal shoes
The ejection underscores ongoing debates in Parliament over the balance between free expression and adherence to established rules, as well as lingering political tensions surrounding recent high-profile interventions in national and regional matters
Writer : Mweru Mbugua
