Omtatah Suspended From Senate After Refusing to Withdraw ‘Yapping’ Remarks About Ruto

NAIROBI, Kenya — Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has been suspended from the Senate for three consecutive sittings after refusing to withdraw and apologise for describing President William Ruto’s recent roadside pronouncements as “yapping.”

Senate Speaker Amason Kingi ordered Omtatah to leave the chamber on Thursday after the senator challenged a directive requiring him to retract the remarks, insisting that the word was not unparliamentary.

The dispute followed comments Omtatah made during Wednesday’s afternoon sitting while contributing to a statement concerning President Ruto’s remarks about foreign-owned small businesses and Tata Company.

“The roadside pronouncements by the President, first of all, violated the Constitution, Article 135 that does not allow the President to go yapping around and saying things that have not been approved,” Omtatah said.

Speaker Rules ‘Yapping’ Unparliamentary

During Thursday’s sitting, Kingi told the House that Senator Samson Cherargei had raised a point of order objecting to Omtatah’s use of the word “yapping” when referring to the President.

Senator Mohamed Faki supported the objection and cited the Google Dictionary definition of “yapping” as referring to talking excessively about matters considered unimportant or trivial.

Kingi said Temporary Speaker Abdul Haji had subsequently ruled that the term was unparliamentary and directed Omtatah to withdraw it and replace it with a more appropriate expression.

Omtatah declined to comply.

Omtatah Defends His Choice of Words

In addressing the House, Omtatah said his refusal to withdraw the remark was not intended as an act of defiance but was based on what he described as respect for parliamentary procedure and language.

“I rise to address the House on the requirement you have placed upon me to withdraw my statement regarding the President’s recent roadside declaration. I wish to do so not out of defiance, but out of a deep respect for this House, its procedures and the integrity of our Parliamentary language,” Omtatah said.

He argued that parliamentary precedent, particularly from Westminster, demonstrated that the term could be considered permissible parliamentary language.

“I believe that a careful examination of Parliamentary precedent, specifically from the mother of all Parliaments, Westminster, will demonstrate that the term I used was not unparliamentary,” he said.

Kingi interrupted the senator and directed him to proceed with an apology.

Omtatah maintained that he was responding to the Speaker’s order and continued to argue that “yapping” was not unparliamentary.

“Mr Speaker, Sir, don’t dance on a slippery slope. I’m answering your order. ‘Yapping’ is not unparliamentary. Check the record of the Westminster Parliament,” Omtatah said.

Kingi Orders Omtatah Out of Chamber

Following the exchange, Kingi ordered Omtatah to leave the Senate chamber for three consecutive sitting days.

“I order you to leave the chamber for three consecutive sitting days. You may leave now,” Kingi said.

When Omtatah continued challenging the directive, the Speaker warned that further resistance could result in a longer sanction.

“Don’t make me direct the Sergeant-at-Arms to come for you, because then that will amount to 90 days. Kindly leave the chamber,” Kingi said.

Kingi later instructed the Sergeant-at-Arms to escort Omtatah from the chamber, emphasising that senators were required to follow the Senate’s Standing Orders.

“Let’s observe decorum. We are not in the Westminster Parliament. This is the Kenyan Parliament with its Standing Orders,” Kingi said.

Senators Defend Omtatah

After Omtatah left the chamber, several senators questioned whether suspension was an appropriate response to his remarks.

Kakamega Senator Bonny Khalwale argued that punishing Omtatah for expressing his views could undermine freedom of speech within the Senate.

“If we are going to start punishing Senators for their opinions in this House, it means, Mr. Speaker, we are breaching the doctrine of freedom of speech in this House,” Khalwale said.

Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang also urged the Speaker to exercise restraint before imposing suspensions on senators during parliamentary debates.

“I want to dissuade you and your panel from invoking that nuclear option of suspension and excluding members from this House,” Kajwang said.

He argued that suspending Omtatah would effectively leave Busia County without its elected representative during Senate proceedings.

Speaker Stands by Decision

Despite the appeals, Kingi defended the disciplinary action, saying the Senate’s Standing Orders must be respected and that violations carry consequences.

He said the Speaker had exercised leniency in dealing with Omtatah's conduct before resorting to suspension.

“The biggest problem is when you apply these standing orders, there's bound to be an issue, because once you breach these standing orders, consequences will follow,” Kingi said.

He maintained that while senators were entitled to debate and express their views, they were also required to observe parliamentary rules and decorum.

The suspension means Omtatah will miss three consecutive Senate sittings following his refusal to withdraw the controversial remark about President Ruto.